Family Types: Year 2
by LastCornerStone
Summary: Harry returns to Hogwarts, insecure thanks to a visit from Dobby that drags up old memories, to find he's hearing things. Remus' book becomes cause for hate between the boys and Lockhart, Dante's birth becomes topic of the rumor mill, Eva goes to Hogwarts
1. Chapter 1: The Best BDay

**Family Types: Year 2**

AN: I would like to apologize for my failure to use different font types (**bold,**_italics, _etc.) for different speeches with in Family Types Year 1. To fix this:

**All conversation between Harry and Vexation while be bold along with chapter titles. **

_All dreams/memories/thoughts will be in italics._

_**All Parsaltounge will be in italics and bold.**_

All other speech will be normal, should any other conversations arise will differ from the other two. Thank you and happy reading.

-LastCornerStone

**Disclaimer:** Note….**Fan**fiction

**CHAPTER 1: The Best Birthday**

Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over the table at Number 12. Like the many times before, it was resolved with swords and battle axes.

"THEY'RE BLACK!"

"THEY'RE BLUE!"

"BLACK!"

"BLUE!"

"ARG!" The two were pulled off each other, and the fight over the color of Harry's socks was paused for a time.

"The third time this week!" Sirius cried restraining Harry.

"This is a tad silly." Remus agreed holding back Evangeline.

"But I'm bored." The cherubic eleven year-old cried, turning big blue eyes up to her Uncle Sirius. He had to look away so as not to be pulled in by a puppy dog pout that not even the patented Padfoot pout could counter.

It was enough.

Harry rolled out of his uncle's grip and raised his battle axes. Eva slipped out of Remus's arms and took up a fighting stance. The two were at each other's throats before the two adults could utter a sound.

The clanging of steel on steel rang through the house, waking the other occupants.

"Wha?" Draco walked down with Dante, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. As the scene below him unfolded before his sleep dazed eyes, his confused gape turned into a wide grin. He and Dante immediately placed bets on one or the other.

Regulus wandered down with a pregnant Bella in toe. He smiled and draped an arm around his fiancé, watching his little girl duck and twirl, throwing curse, punches and sword jabs at her cousin with vampire like fluidity. Bella was too tired to look horror struck at what had happened to her baby girl.

Harry got down on his hands and round house kicked Eva's feet out from under her. She spun out of the fall and back flipped over a coffee table and took up an offensive stance.

Harry moved forward with a small battle cry and swung his axe down hard.

"Do you yield?" He hissed, one axe above her head, holding her sword in place, the other below, so the point on the edge was poking the underside of her chin.

"Never." She smiled, her own dagger sneaking out to through his axe away. Harry caught it and wrenched it from her grasp, throwing it to the floor a few feet off.

"Come on Eva!" Dante whooped, now taking a press box seat on the fight by hanging his legs of the stair cases landing.

"Get her Harry!" Draco called. The two where cheering and pumping their fists into the air as the duel continued.

Eva elbowed Harry in the gut and slipped out from under him, her bare feet moving expertly on the cool tiles of the kitchen. She seemed to create friction that held her tight to the floor when ever she fought like this, an obviously unfair advantage that most who knew her, knew she didn't need.

Harry was also barefoot but he didn't look nearly as flawless in his moves.

The fight continued for a while until the adults grew tired and began to prepare breakfast around the dueling siblings.

Now Draco and Dante we're cheering with full mouths and stacks of pancakes in front of them, the adults on either side.

Harry and Eva where sweating now, tried from the battle that had been ragging for almost an hour. Finally it looked like Eva was winning. She had Harry pinned to the floor, sitting atop him, her twin blades in a 'x' shape over his neck blocked on by the boy's axe.

"Do you yield, Mr. Potter?" She smiled angelically.

"Never." He mimicked.

Throwing her off with a mighty push, he pinned her without weapons to the ground.

She laughed, a beautiful laugh, and surrendered. Harry smiled and helped her up.

"Happy Birthday Harry, I let you off easy." She shared a sweaty hug with the boy and the two pranced off to take showers before breakfast.

"Why is it that someone always gets in a fight on Harry's Birthday?" Narcissa asked quietly, pointing out an unnoticed trend of events.

"You know what…you're right!" Sirius stood up as if just realizing the fact. He looked down at the two boys with an accusing glare.

"It's not our fault." Dante defended.

"Yeah, Harry always picks the fights on his birthday. It's like he's used to it or something." Draco brushed off the topic by shoving another stack of pancakes into his mouth.

"What do you unhinge your jaw or something?" Narcissa admonished.

"No." Draco blushed as Dante laughed. He elbowed the boy in the stomach and shoveled another load in.

Harry came back down the stairs a time latter, clean and smelling great. He always prided himself on having a better smelling shampoo than Draco, even though it was often hard to find one. It was easy when all you had to worry about was sent and not how the stuff made your hair look. With Harry, there was one hair style, all over the place and shaggy.

He gave his hair an extra ruffle before sitting himself down to a late breakfast. The only person other than Remus, who was reading the paper, was Bella, who had succumbed to cravings and was dipping her pancakes into ketchup.

Harry discreetly took his only plate into the study where Dante and Draco where finishing up their own stacks. They were pouring over books on fighting, having been obsessed with the skill since they had their arses kicked by a couple Slytherins.

As soon as they had gotten back, they had worked on their fighting. Weaponry fighting was at a highpoint, but their reactions to sneak attacks were abysmal. They encourage each other and their adult counter parts to attack without warning. As a result, they began to improve, but were still unsatisfied. They continued to grow, exploring new means of hand-to-hand.

It seemed that only Harry, the defeater of the Dark Lord for the second time in his life time, had enough time to teach Evangeline. He made sure to duel with her and fix her stances whenever he saw the littlest detail out of place.

The three boys had to admit that they had made somewhat of a reputation for themselves, on that Harry didn't want Eva on the receiving end of when she arrived without being prepared. He taught, dueled, and researched different methods of fighting until they had found this alternative fighting. It was a mix of several different types of fighting, Japanese style to the old gypsy ways, all rolled up into one based on the vibrations of the ground and air currents to predict the opponents moves.

She wasn't as good at sword play as she was with hand to hand, but it was a start.

She padded into the study, her own plate of pancakes in hand, bare feet gliding across the floor like skates on ice.

"Morning boys." She trilled.

"Morning Eva, nice fight." Dante complemented.

"I'll beat him one day. Just you wait." She laughed forking another cake into her mouth.

"I have no doubt that when I'm old and gray you will defeat me." Harry laughed, looking up from his book on alternative methods of magic.

"You'd have to live to be old and gray fist." Eva snipped back.

Draco and Dante "oooooo"ed and Harry laughed.

"Mum and Dad are setting up your party so no going down stairs." Eva explained, setting herself down in one of the leather arm chairs, pulling one of the many books littering the coffee table over to her with her feet.

"What are you a chimp?" Draco accused.

"Ha ha, so funny Draco." Eva pointed her fork at him. "I'd be careful if I were you."

"What are you going to do? Hum? Knock me to the ground?"

Eva passed him a death glare.

For a time there was silence, a comfortable but quiet silence.

The three boys read books of a wide variety of fighting techniques while Eva busied herself with a book on the human anatomy.

Down stairs, Narcissa with drew into the kitchen where she and Remus where making Harry's cake.

"Seems like only yesterday I was changing his dippers." Sirius sniffs and flicked a fake tear from his eye.

"Oh please! You never went near a changing table." Remus laughed, licking black frosting from his finger tips. "Not even for Dante." Regulus chimed in. "You're one to talk. You didn't even see Eva till see was three." Sirius shot at his younger brother, rising to the bait.

"A point I'm trying to rectify with my next kid." Regulus defended hugging his wife who had just entered with a pint of ice cream.

Remus returned his attention back to frosting the three headed dog cake, all three heads charmed to move and snap and growl. Draco and Harry had finally told the adults how they had found out about Fluffy after Sirius and Remus had tied him to a chair and refused to let him up till he explained.

Then there was Eva to worry over. The tiny child had practiced with weapons and magic as soon as Bella agreed to buy her, her first set. When the three boys got home, something had obviously changed and they re-attacked their studies with a vengeance.

Only Harry seemed to make the time for Eva, grooming her in his stead. He had admitted, when questioned about his motive by Regulus that they had made a reputation for themselves, on that he didn't want Eva to be on the receiving end off, unprepared.

Dante and Draco were apparently fueled by their defeat at the end of the year and often participated in Harry's sneak attack simulations and encouraged the adults to attack them at random points throughout the day, without a moment's notice.

Remus' thoughts on the boys floated around in his head late into the afternoon as they put up decorations and stung banners and lights.

Sirius, noticing this, purposefully hung one of the banners by hand so he could fall off, pulling the banner down with him, giving the other adults something to laugh at and Remus something to do. Knowing this, Remus smiled, helping his hubby to his feet and kissing him without the usual lecture.

"HARRY! DANTE! DRACO! EVA! COME DOWN!"

"Coming Aunt Cissy!" Harry called back, closing his book and setting it on the table.

"Birthday time." Draco smiled rubbing his hands together. Dante laughed, following Eva out and down the steps. Harry simply shook his head and pushed the blonde through the door.

A chorus of Happy Birthday broke out as soon as Harry entered the kitchen. On the island that served as a table sat a 3-D cake model of the three headed dog Fluffy, charmed so that the heads could move and snap. Now and then icing drool slipped out of the mouths and landed on the cookie sheet beneath the cake forming a hardened wall of white at the dog's feet.

Harry smiled and looked excitedly at his family.

When they entered it was to a chorus of "Happy Birthday Harry". They ate cake and made merry before slipping out the back to give Harry his present

Blind folding him was useless as his magical eye would simply see through the cloth, so the whole family, even the kids who were unaware of the present for fear they would unconsciously let something slip, stood in front of him so there body heat blinded the sensors in his eye.

It was when Remus was explaining this that Draco came to his conclusion. "YOU DIRTTY LITTLE CHEATER!"

Questioning looks met his angry one.

"That's how you always found me first in hide-and-go-seek!" Laughter erupted through out the garden as Draco fumed and Harry pleaded for forgiveness in between choked laughter.

Harry got new boots from Regulus, a set of defense books from Bella, a small collection of leather bound volumes, four in all, but there was space for a fifth, all handwritten by his mother, father, Godfather and Uncle.

The first was black leather with a silver stage clasp and when opened, spilled forth his father's messy chicken scratch handwriting blotted the page with his thoughts, or the happenings he bothered to record. While the book appeared to be no thicker than a short novel, on closer inspection, Harry noticed a charm placed on it to give it an unending supply of paper. A simply word could bring up the requested selection, much like the search tool on Dudley's computer, not that the lug had known it was there.

The next one was silvery with a wolf clasp that spilled forth Mooney's neat scrawl. Inside were detailed notes on everyone ever pranked and the effects of different trials and errors as well as the mishaps the Marauders had gotten into and how they had gotten back out.

Padfoot's was brown with a grim-like dog clasp that was filled with pictures and plots for pranks as well as complicated schematics. After a few minutes of peering at it, Harry realized it was plans for the making of the Marauders map as well as a detailed layout of all the secret passages and all the hidden rooms the Marauders ever found.

The last journal was white with a lily on the cover. Inside was handwriting neater than Remus's if that was possible. Detailed explanations of spells and notes of new spells as well as the results of mixed spells covered the insides of the journal the pages becoming blotted with ink splotches as the writer grew more excited.

Harry placed the books and their small chest on his bedside table and looked back at his family, a small tear in his eye before hugging them.

Draco and Dante had pitched in with Eva to buy him a matching set of wand holsters, gloves and sheath, all with black snakes, laced with green.

Narcissa hand bought him a small green snake amulet with silver fangs that she explained was a portkey back to the very room they where in that could be activated by saying "Padfoot's going to skin me." Every one had a good laugh at the password.

Outside beyond the gazebo and picnic tables stood a replica of the Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch minus the tall stands, where a slipshod version made from transfigured wood had once stood. "This is your present for the year so be grateful." Regulus laughed at the three boys and his little girl, their wide eyes and longing stairs comical.

"Rem…" Sirius asked his mate, eyes never moving from the pitch. "Did we get a ward extension?

Remus laughed. "Why do you think I had the boys take you to the dog park? After the wards were extended by Melissa Johnson, Lily's friend, Bill Weasley's mentor, I had Lily and James' pitch delivered thanks to James' old friend John in the transport section of the Ministry. They left it to you, you know. Well us. In their will, they left us the house, the mansions the gold, until Harry came to age, assuming that we were taking care of him."

Sirius smiled at his husband and hugged him.

The boys had rushed back in to the house and where rushing to their rooms to get their brooms and get back down on the pitch. Remus and Narcissa had bought their kids brooms as a reward of kicking butt and living to tell the tale.

Regulus, Remus, Narcissa, and Sirius summoned their brooms, having more sense than their kids, or the patients to think through their actions. Bella pulled up a chair and a slice of Fluffy cake.

After a brutal game of kids vs. parents in which Harry had out seeked Regulus, Dante out blocked his Alpha and Draco out chased Sirius and Eva had out bludgered her aunt Cissy, the group retired to the living room for a round of Exploding Snape, a game designed by Sirius so that the cards had different pictures of Snape that blew up in your face as they shouted obscenities among other things. Regulus, who had failed miserably at the card game, soon found himself beside his wife.

"You're not going to tell him this year either."

Regulus looked up at her. It wasn't a question but it still requested an explanation and Regulus Black wasn't stupid enough not to give her one

"You can't keep hunting these things down Reg. Not with a baby on the way."

He sighed.

"I know. I can't tell him now though. Did you see what happened to him after nearly losing to Voldemort once? If I tell him about this Ester egg Voldemort's set up with his souls, he'll flip, he'll leave school and try to hunt them down with me. He needs to finish learning. We can't teach him how to deal with people or about serology or anything he might need later on when he really needs to join this fight."

Bella sighed and nodded.

"Just promise me you won't run off this year? It's hard enough working and coming home to an empty bed without being pregnant."

Regulus smiled "I owe you that much."

"YES! YES! HAHA!"

Looking up, Regulus burst into true laughter. His brother sat scowling before his mate, who was trying to stifle his laughter, eyebrows singed and smoking while Harry did a sort of happy dance on the table, his siblings laughing and clapping their hands, taking gold from Narcissa and Remus.

"Like I said before, we've corrupted them enough." Regulus smiled.

**AN: **First installment of Year 2. All comments are welcomed, whether on spelling, plot or just questions. If anyone had suggestions for the plot itself, I am always open and will credit you if the idea is used.

Your humble servant,

LastCornerStone


	2. Chapter 2: Visits

**CHAPTER 2: Visits**

After besting his Godfather at Exploding Snape another seven times, Harry bide everyone good night, thanking them for their presents again before heading up to bed with lingering calls of "Happy Birthday Harry" to accompany him.

Turning into his room Harry stripped his shirt off so that the holsters beneath it were visible. As he unpacked, he became aware of a pair of eyes on him. His magical eye dipped into the back of his head and scoped out the room behind him.

On his bed was a house elf, a normally common occurrence as Harry had befriended them early on, but this elf he had never seen before. He took a gun from his holster, a simple .38 though he had a 45 magnum in his sock drawer. Turning quickly he had the elf pinned.

"Who are you? Who sent you?!"

"Please Mr. Harry Potter sir! I is Dobby and no one is sending me! I is coming with a warning."

Harry holstered his gun grudgingly and apologized, which sent Dobby into a fit of hysterics. Harry, used to such reactions from Kreature, who had quickly become attacked to Harry when he was a child, simply held the creatures arms and legs as he tried to punish himself for scarring "Mr. Harry Potter Sir!"

"Please stop calling me that." Harry begged.

"But it is your name!"

"Not the Harry Potter part. The other thing."

"But it is custom for elves to be addressing higher rakes as sirs, Sir/" 

Harry winced.

"Dobby has come to warn Mr. Potter of terrible dangers at Hogwarts. Mr. Harry Potter must stay here where he is safe, Sir. He must not be involved in the plots."

"What plots? What danger?" Harry demanded ignoring the "Sir" to the best of his abilities.

"You is needing help that Dobby can not provide Mr. Harry Potter." Some how, Harry knew that they were no longer talking about the plots at Hogwarts. "A house elf is always a house elf, no matter what clothes his new masters are giving him."

With that the pest was gone, and Harry was left to look at himself in the full length mirror across from the bed.

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

"_Harry?"_

_The small seven year-old pushed farther back under the bed._

"_Please come out Harry. I just want to talk."_

_Heavy feet plodded through the room coming to a rest in front of the bed._

"_I brought some food and some things that belong to you."_

_Smaller feet rushed in, barefoot and dainty._

"_And someone to see you. Say "hello" Evangeline."_

"_Hello" piped up a small childish voice._

_Her feet disappeared from sight and Harry, despite to see the small angle, climbed out from under the bed to see her in Sirius's arms._

_After a while Sirius coxed Harry too eat with Eva's help._

"_I think these belong to you." Sirius began when Harry set aside the plate, still half full. Sirius pulled out a bag, packed with objects, which he turned out onto the bed._

_Several books, stamp-less letters, scrap books and a few pages of stamps fell out._

"_Do you want to tell me about these things Harry?"_

_The small boy shook his head._

"_There are two kinds of secrets Harry. Those we keep from others and those we keep from ourselves."_

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

Harry bolted awake, sweat pouring down his face, stinging his eyes and dripping into his open mouth.Shaking himself he glanced at the clock to see it was 4:30 in the morning.

**Prodigy?**

Harry looked to the foot of his bed to see his faithful familiar sitting there licking his paws.

**Feel like going for a run Vex?**

Pulling on a pair of sweat pants, Harry ran out of the house and down the street, his familiar lopping along beside him.

Every since Dobby's visit on his birthday a little over a week ago, Harry had been dreaming of his past. The least enjoyable experience since Neville showed the Gryffindor first years his Stink Sap Pod.

The elf's final words still reverberated through his head, slamming into his consciousness with a resounding "always a house elf" and tangoed with Sirius's "two kinds of secrets" around his mind. He hadn't told any one about the elf's visit, and was relieved that the creature's visit didn't shake him as much on the outside as it did on the inside.

The only exception was his almost involuntary tendency to pick a fight on his birthday. As he ran, the images from his first birthday came floating out of his memory to join their dancing words.

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

_He was sitting in the living room, playing with a dirty rag his aunt had tossed him after his slight whimpering had given her a headache._

_He was smiling to himself, tossing it in the air and catching it, careful not to laugh too loud, less he attract his cousin's attention. _

_Even at the age of two, Harry knew better than to let his relatives know he was having fun._

_No matter how secretive he was about his plaything, Dudley somehow found out about his toys and took them or broke them if he had no intention of playing with them. The three year old toddled out, a lollypop in his mouth and an evil smile on his face._

_He dribbled a bit of drool onto his bib as a means of speech to which Harry kindly responded with "Play?"_

_Wrong, wrong, wrong. Dudley Dursley did not 'Play' with anyone smaller than him, or if he did the small never thought of it as play. He took the small rag and ran. Harry sniffled back a sob, knowing that crying only made it worse. Standing himself up, he walked after his waddling cousin. _

"_Duddy!" Harry pleaded with the boy._

_More drool._

"_Peas!"_

_A giant raspberry to the face. Dudley pushed his cousin down while the smaller boy whipped the spit from his eyes. Harry was launched from the fifth stair to the floor in one fell swoop, catching his head on a rather pointy side table._

_He seemed to hang their, held by momentum and the fall and the amount of table now in his head before he dropped to the ground, motion less._

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

Fingering the small patch of hairless scalp where his scar from the stitches still white and wrinkled. Shaking himself off, he picked up the pace turning the corner, waving to the old witch who lived in the house on the corner.

He plowed himself even more diligently into his daily routine, surrounding himself in books at any chance he got. He trained from morning to night and kept himself awake for as long as he could, hoping to sleep in a bit the next morn, so as not to hint to his problems when his family noted he went running at 4 in the morning everyday.

He practiced spells and fighting in the morning with flying and dueling after lunch till dinner and animagus forms well into the night. Each of the children had at lest one form completed. For Harry it was Firefly, the Phoenix, for Draco it Icicle, the dragon, for Eva it was Jinx a black cat. Dante only had his wolf form, as a Potion Baby, or a Fake, he had inherited the werewolf genes from his father despite Remus and Sirius's best efforts to prevent it.

Draco and Eva both had three other forms. Draco's second was a panther and his third a ferret and Eva's was a snow leopard and her third a rabbit. Both second forms provided the family with much laughter and the two blonde's with plenty of motive for the pranks that followed.

That left Harry as the oddity of the year once more. He told his family that he only had two forms when in reality he had five. He knew three of them, the first being Firefly, the second being a Hawk, deemed Hunter. His third was a big black wolf, though he still couldn't achieve this form or the hawk, practiced them both avidly, researching the magics he could perform while in them.

The other two were mysteries. The first was another bird of some kind and his second was a total mystery. His pack believed him to know only the hawk and phoenix, which was more than enough for them to be proud of Harry, but he could see that they worried about him, wondering if he still had secrets from the time he spent with the Dursleys.

He did but he wasn't about to share them.

They were still secrets he kept from himself.

Picking up the pace, Harry ran faster, ignoring Vexation's cries of **"Prodigy! No one's chasing you. Save it for the final haul."**

"**Keep up Vex. Someone's not chasing us now, but who's to say someone won't be tomorrow."**

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

Harry ended up running for longer than he expected, lost in thoughts and memory no matter how much he had fought it.

He came into the house to find everyone in the den, clamored around Remus who was reading a letter that was apparently just delivered.

"Hey guys. What's up?" Harry asked, shedding his shoes at the front door.

"Shush!" They all put their fingers to their mouths before Eva beckoned him over with a wave of her hand.

"Dear Mr. Lupin,

We are pleased to inform you that the book you submitted for publishing has passed through the final stage. We would be most honored if you would drop by later today and discus your text with us in person.

Truly yours,

Fletcher VanHort

Head Chief of Blotter Jotters Press"

"Remmy this is fantastic!" Sirius scooped up hiss mate and sung him around in the air.

Remus was beaming down at them all as Regulus and all the kids clamored around to congratulate him. Harry hung back. "I'd hug you but I think you'd rather not get bathed in sweat." He laughed shaking his uncle's hand instead. Remus smiled.

Suddenly someone was on his back.

"Gotcha now!

Harry lunged out as Evangeline launched her attack from the banister on the high ceiling staircase. She planted, redirecting and launched a second attack before Harry had time to move his second foot. She pinned him to the wall and held his attention with a pair of the deadliest looking fans Harry had ever seen.

"Do you yield?" her voice was singsong with and over flowed with pride.

"Haven't we done this before?"

While Eva had busied herself with victory, Harry had summoned two battle-axes from where he'd dropped them before. Before he could swing however, Eva had a poisoned tipped dagger at his throat.

"Do…You…Yield?" She put some space between the words moving forward, jabbing the knife into Harry's throat little by little. "I'll only ask you this once more, Potter."

**You never learn Prodigy! Always guard your flank.** Vexation yawned from his corner of the dueling arena. He had stayed his same size but his seriousness and his no-nonsense fighting style had doubled.

"For know." He laughed. She smiled and pulled back the dagger. Dropping his axes Harry scooped her up and swung her around, ignoring her desperate cries for land.

Sirius and Remus exchanged amused looks before seeing the three boys off.

"Harry! Time to go!"

"Rematch when I get back kid." He put her on the ground and patted her head before dashing up the stairs two at a time to avoid her hex.

"Harry!"

"Coming Draco!" Harry shook his head and followed his familiar up to the annoying whine back to the house where Draco and Dante were sitting with Sirius and Regulus.

"Come on! You're holding us up! We took these lessons for you, you know!" Dante smiled mockingly at his brother.

"Yeah shut up."

Every Wednesday the boys biked into the nearby muggle town where they took hand-to-hand lessons at the local dojo. At first Dante and Harry had been reluctant when Draco suggested it, tired of Harry's gripping about learning more, because of the shear mass of muggles that would be around.

In the end Harry's will to learn and improve, drove him past his paranoia leaving Dante outnumbered.

It had been to the werewolf's relief to find out it was a class of seven, three of which he knew, Harry, Draco and Neville Longbottom.

Apparently, Neville lived out in Harry's area when his grandmother felt to crowded in the 1st Longbottom mansion and Neville, not wanting to stay cooped up with the hag, he had decided to take fighting/defense lessons, though Harry got the feeling, from the question she asked that she didn't fully comprehend what went on inside the building. Not that Neville seemed in no hurry to inform her.

The three boys hand bounded to Neville quickly and usually ended up sparing with him. Neville was fast becoming a part of their clan and had even with stood their pregnant Aunt Bella's test when she dropped by with Eva one day on when she had driven by on her way to get more ice cream, which had been in unusual abundance in the Safe House that summer.

Their summer had been filled with training, whether spell work or dueling or sword play, or even animagus training, it didn't matter they were working from four in the morning to ten at night, and they loved it. Harry was thrilled with the progress he had been making and the precision they were making with Evangeline. His run in with Voldemort the previous year had fueled his push for extra workouts and target practice moving him from stationary targets to sensor targeting to blindfold targeting fast than adults expected an Auror would advance.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

Sirius and Regulus were fiddling with the bikes, escaping the wrath of the hormonal Bella and the bored Narcissa. Nether were particularly welcoming. The kids had taken off for their fighting, Eva was working on her gypsy fighting, and Remus was meeting the Publishing Board about his book. Life was good.

The kids came thundering back just as Regulus and Sirius straightened up, oil smudged and smelling of bike fumes, but with wide smiles spreading across their faces. The two were in identical black shirts and tight jeans making the family resemblance stick out more than ever. The two waved to the kids and cleaned up.

Harry, Dante, and Draco entered the house just as green flames lit the fireplace.

"BUGGER!"

"Remus's home." Bella called from the study.

As soon as the werewolf had cleared the fireplace, the three boys were on him. They landed before the hybrid without a twitch, their boundless energy coming to an abrupt halt with expert training, called forth by Remus's firm hand successfully halting the onslaught of male testosterone.

"What happened?" They cried in unison.

"The market for defense books is limited. So airhead's got his book floating about, closing the market for new authors. They liked the book a lot but can not publish it till next year at least."

"Bull shit!"

Remus looked agape at his son.

"Who the hell is this prick?" Harry demanded.

"Gilderoy Lockhart, Brake with a Banshee, Gadding with Ghouls, Holiday with Hags, Travels with Trolls, Voyages with Vampires, Wanderings with Werewolves, Year with the Yeti." Sirius walked in, unaware of the death trap he was setting up for himself.

"That's him." Remus huffed.

"The new teacher must be a witch." Regulus pointed out reading over his brother's shoulder.

Silence.

"Those…are the…book lists?!?" Remus growled, his hands curling into fists.

The three boys left in a hurry.

"We are not taking him to Diagon Alley. He'd burn down Flourish and Blots!" Draco cried. Dante punched him.

**A.N: **Thanks to all my reviewers. I probably will not post again until after Christmas, but I felt I owed you all as a Holiday present to put up one more chapter before my miniature hiatus.

♥LastCornerStone


	3. Chapter 3: Reunions

**CHAPTER 3: Reunions**

They had taken on the appearance of 18 year olds so they could drive their motorcycles through the muggle streets of London without getting pulled over. They had adopted their traditional morphs, Harry's hair going long and red, Draco's turning short and black, Sirius's became blond and shaggy, and Dante's purple and spiked.

They had tied Remus to a chair to prevent him from coming with them, knowing that dealing with a pissed off Remus would be better than rebuilding the book store and restocking its shelves.

They parked their bikes and entered the Leakey Cauldron, waving to the familiar inhabitants before moving through the brick wall to the market behind it. Eva had stayed behind to help her mother with a few things around the house but had agreed to meet with them via floo powder when she was done.

Harry and the other boys made their way through Diagon Alley, getting new robes and potions ingredients.

**You should get some new fighting texts. I'm bored with your old ones. **Vex yawned, his head popping out of Harry's sweatshirt hood, where he was traveling.

**Well, if you are bored. **Harry laughed.

**Yes, and this year we are going to find a place to train you properly. We are going to get those last forms down before your fourth year damn it.**

Harry scratched the familiar behind the years and smiled, walking on beside his Godfather.

They got new boots and larger wand holsters to accommodate for the muscles that had built up over the summer. Harry got himself new holsters for his guns, ones that could remain undetected under robes. He slipped the holster on and dumped his babies into their new spots.

They purposefully saved the books for last, having noticed a sign saying Lockhart was signing books. However the hubbub was still in full swing when they arrived. Harry heaved a sigh and threw his red hair back over his shoulder.

"Well, no point in putting it off any more." Dante sighed.

"Maybe we can just slip around back and buy them and leave." Draco suggested.

Just then someone jostled them.

"Oh, pardon me." It was Mrs. Weasley.

"Ronald! Don't tease your sister like that. Fred, George, stop making faces. We're going to get the books signed and there's nothing you can do about it."

Harry smiled at Dante and Draco before nodding to Sirius, who nodded back, allowing them to dash around the corner and return to their normal selves.

When 12 year-old Dante, Draco and Harry returned. Sirius made a show of gathering them like sheep and herding them into the book store.

"RON!" The three boys pounced on the fourth, messing his hair and giving him friendly punches of manly welcome.

"Boys!" Sirius attempted to sounding stained and losing control.

"You poor man." Mrs. Weasley sympathized.

"You seem to be getting along nicely. Alan Booth." Sirius shook her hand and walked off to make friends with the Weasley women.

"How's your summer been? You guys look great." Ron pointed out holding his friend at arm's length.

"We've been working our tails off so I would hope so." Draco laughed.

"And what about you sir? Are those biceps I see?" Dante laughed teasing Ron. He blushed but smiled brightly and informed them that he had continued to work out.

The three friends entered the book shop, smiling and telling tales, Dante and Draco blowing Eva's winning duel out proportion in Harry's opinion. They joined Mrs. Weasley and Sirius or "Alan" in the line, high-fiveing the twins.

"What are we in line for?" Dante asked peering around the heads before him to see what great wonders awaited them at the end.

"It's for mum." George groused.

"She wants her books signed by the oh-so fabulous Lockhart." Fred mimed puking.

The whole atmosphere within the store changed, even the uninvolved patrons of the store could feel the sudden chill that filled the store.

"BOYS!" Sirius barked.

The atmosphere returned to only about 10 degrees cooler than before.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron whispered.

"My dad's writing a book. A really good book on defense and supposedly dark creatures. This pompous idiot's books are stopping the publishing agency from publishing it." Dante hissed, glaring at the empty chair ahead of them.

Harry folded his arms across his chest, standing in plane view of the chair so he could fix the fraud with a penetrating glare as soon as he entered. Harry had learned a number of glares that had saved his hide more times than he could count while on Privet Dr. He shook himself suddenly. Why was he thinking such things? In the years before he had never given that hell hole a second thought. Now his thoughts seemed to orbit the old prison like the earth orbited the sun.

He was so lost in thought he had dropped his accusatory glare. He simply stood there, looking off with a blank face, his mind snaking through his thoughts and memories, sealing off some while exploring others. Suddenly he was jostled when the group around him burst into cheers and clapping.

Harry looked around bewildered before realizing where he was. But it was too late.

"That can't be Harry Potter!"

Suddenly he was being dragged up to the front. He looked back pleadingly to his family only to see they were forced out of the store by the massive crowd trying to get a look at their two greatest heroes in one place. Harry gave a muted snarl as the prick reached out to put his arm around his should turning him to the camera saying "Nice big smile Harry. Together you and I'll make the front page." Harry wrenched himself away with lightning fast reflexes, just as the camera man shaped a shot.

"I…" So many things he could say and do, but everyone would land him in Azkaban or in a load of trouble with thousands of fanwitches. Both were unappealing in their own ways and would most likely land a heap of trouble on his family. He sighed quietly and moved resignedly to stand beside the peacock. He smiled brightly and the camera man snapped several shots before allowing Lockhart to speak.

"When young Harry entered Flourish and Blots today to purchase my autobiography, Magical Me which is currently spending it's second week atop the Daily Prophet's Best Seller List -" clapping greeted this statement and Harry was forced to fight his gag reflex. "He had no idea," continued Lockhart "that he would be receiving my entire collected works, free of charge." He thrust a pile of books he'd picked up off the desk into Harry's arms, stopping him from dropping them to the floor where they belonged with a steady hand and a smile for the camera.

Harry snarled and wrenched away from his hold only to be pulled back.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM!"

Sirius suddenly appeared with Dante and Draco coming up behind him. Lockhart didn't remove his hand, the pain it was inflicting Harry obvious to his family.

"I told you not to touch my charge. His Uncle will flip if he's see the mess you've put him in. If I see one picture of him in the _Prophet, _I'll sue you and the _Prophet. _I would hate to see the kind of damage that would cause you." The growl that Sirius gave sounded nearly canine.

"He is so cool." Ron whispered, looking up at Sirius (Alan) with the same admiration Mrs. Weasley was giving Lockhart.

Lockhart had beater since than to keep Harry at his side. Loosing the place on the front page was worth not loosing half his sum to this woeful man. Harry escaped as if fleeing a pack of Dementors. He pushed behind Draco, looking to the exit. He quickly passed Ginny his load of books. "You can have these. I'll buy my own. Happy Birthday or Merry Christmas, what ever comes first." He moved away from the girl before he could see the lusty look she gave him.

That's when he froze. The last thing he wanted to face after that ordeal was starring him in the face.

"Potter." Balise Zabini hissed, folding a torn page from one of the books he set down, before putting it in his pocket.

"Zabini." Harry's eyes narrowed but otherwise did not engage.

"Bet you loved all that." He nodded over the heads of the crowd, as if gesturing at a replay of the embracement Harry had just suffered.

"So, you can't even go into a bookstore without causing a riot now, can you Potter? That's really pathetic." Zabini gave the group his best sneer.

"Hum, I can see you've been practicing that. I'd still only give it a four." Harry pretended to judge the effectiveness of the snarl.

"You are too generous brother!" Dante joined in jovially. "I would give it a two and a half at best."

Harry wasn't sure when Zabini jumped on him, but he knew that the boy had been practicing his fighting as well. He saw Draco hold Dante and Ron back from joining the brawl. Harry's heart swelled to see the blonde, knowing that he was fighting to protect the boy. Soon he had Zabini pinned. He was pulled off by Sirius however, moments latter to be joined by none other than Malfoy Senior.

"Well Mr. Potter. It would appear you have taken three things from me. My heir, my family ties and my son. It is only fair that I return the favor then. There is no shame in a fair trade now hum? Wouldn't you agree?"

He lifted Ginny's books out of her cauldron. "After all, for the love of this innocent girl, you give her material possessions. And your valor has been rewarded with man a fan, and even more lenience within the rule system. Should we not fight for our rights?" He sneered a diffident nine on the scary scale.

"I will be seeing you latter Mr. Potter. A good day till then." He tipped his cane from his brow to them, as if in mock solute.

Harry sneered a ten after him, one the man was sure not to miss.

"Get the damned books so we can get the Hell out of here." Harry growled. Sirius nodded and took the stack off books up to the counter.

"Where's Hermione?" Dante asked suddenly.

"Oh, I owled her earlier and she said that she already got all her books and supplies." Ron explained looking after Malfoy Senior with squinting eyes and a slight curl of his lips.

Draco was quiet. Harry didn't like that.

"How bout we make a quick trip to the Quidditch Store before heading home?" Harry asked Sirius, giving a discreet but pointed look at Draco, one the man was sure to follow.

"Can we Dad? Please?!?" Dante wheeled, having caught on faster than the mutt.

"I guess. After that we can have some lunch at the Leakey Cauldron. Would you join us Molly?" Sirius turned to the Weasley woman who was coming out of line, holding Ginny's signed copies of Lockhart's books as if they were the Ark of the Covenant.

"What? Oh yes, I'm sure we'd love too." There was a general mummer of agreement before their group raided the Quidditch supplies shop.

Harry wound up buying himself new gloves and a practice snitch while the others ogled the Nimbus 2001.

There large group bombarded the Leakey Cauldron next, forcing Tom to open his back room to accommodate them all. There was much laughter and exchanging of prank ideas. Butterbeer made the rounds as much as the tureens of soup and plates of sandwiches. Before long they had eaten their fill and were preparing to depart. Just as they were passing the floo, Eva came sliding out.

"I'm here!" she cried happily. Then she saw her family, standing within a blob of red heads.

"Wha'd I miss?"

**A.N: **Thanks to all my reviewers and everyone that added me or my story to their favorites. I hope to have then next chapter up before next Saturday, but we'll see. Thanks again, and I will try to respond to all reviews personally from now on.

♥LastCornerStone


	4. Chapter 4: Hogwarts by Bike

**Chapter 4: Hogwarts by Bike**

Harry, Dante and Draco spent their last week at home, carefully charming their rooms so the adults couldn't tamper with anything with in them. It was not uncommon for prank wars to break out and as all Marauders knew, prank wars where not stopped simply because it was Christmas or because the opposing pranker had been away for the last nine months, learning to be a wizard.

The previous year they had Evangeline's help in protecting their rooms as it was normally a "kids vs. parents" prank war. However, Evangeline was coming with them this year and Harry would not put it past Sirius to start up several extensive prank projects simply to keep himself occupied now that all the kids were leaving. After all even the adults where too busy for him now. Regulus was busy with Bella, Remus with his book and Narcissa just plain ignoring her over active cousin.

Harry was triple checking his wards when he heard his godfather calling for him. He was immediately suspicious. While Mrs. Black was subdued with Regulus and Narcissa protecting the house from Sirius, she was still easily agitated by the "blood traitor". Therefore the family was still careful to call out and only did so in the up most of urgencies.

He drew a broad sword from under his bed and walked down the stairs to the first landing where he used his magical eye to gage the scene behind the kitchen wall. Narcissa was making their leaving feast while Remus poured over notes for his book. Sirius was moving furniture. He looked up to see that Regulus and Bella where upstairs with Eva, having a heart to heart about the new baby. Dante and Draco were testing each other's wards, helping to strengthen the weaker spots in the other's charms.

Yet Harry did not stow his weapon. He had his guns in their holsters under his leather jacket, but he didn't want to use them, even if they were loaded with stunners instead of real bullets. Carefully he slid a dagger out of the holster in his sleeve and stashed his broad sword in the umbrella stand by the door.

**Hello Prodigy. **Vex leapt off the stairs above him, landing lightly on his master's shoulder. **Ready for a bit of rough and tumble? **

**Just as soon as my Godfather's finished with me. I'd take your dueling dummies any day over him.**

Harry walked down the stairs, wondering if his stashing of the broad sword was such a good idea. Turning the corner, Harry put a tentative hand to the door. He was a little worried about facing his Godfather these days. The man wasn't exactly young any more. Harry had spotted him pulling the gray hairs from his head only just the other day. It had been fine when they were kids, or more accurately, when Dante and Draco had been kids. But know, with Vexation's help, he had gotten enough training and experience that put on twice the amount of muscle he had gotten with his foster family, in one year compared to over four years he had trained with his new family.

Harry was a strong fighter, well beyond the state he should have been in with the number of years he had been training. Vexation had explained to him that he had been both blessed and cursed with the small frame, for it made his hollow bones perfect for flight and speed, but their toughness aloud him to take a punch and return it 12 fold. Vexation had also explained that the higher powers who had sent him, had explained that the very nature of his figure was weaved into his destiny.

Vexation wouldn't tell him what that destiny was, but he made damn sure that Harry would be able to fight off 20 Aurors at once. All the early morning practices with Dante and Draco had matured his hand-to-hand technique, his swords and weaponry pushed to greater heights than his Godfather would ever know, and his magic, fluctuating into a new strength.

But he didn't want his house mates knowing it. He longed to be normal, knew it wouldn't happened but hopped against all hope he could stay away from becoming the freak of a freak family long enough to fully comprehend what a family, even one of freaks, was really about.

He had always felt like an outsider to their home, even though they seemed to have built it around him. Any house that was built on blood and sweat was a home, not many would consider the best place to raise four children, and while he loved them all dearly and knew the feeling was mutual, he couldn't help but want to protect him from the problems he had brought to their door.

So it was with a heavy heart and tentative steps, a firm hold on his magic, that Harry stepped into the kitchen/living room.

**Prodigy! **Vex cried leaping from his master's shoulder.

The warning was unnecessary. Harry had his knives raised in an 'x' shape to catch the battle axe aimed at his head. Already, his hidden strength betrayed him. A normal fighter would have buckled under the force put into the swing. Harry disregarded the fact and threw off his Godfather's axe, jumping back to avoid the throwing stars his Aunt Cissy had conjured up from under a loaf of bread and thrown at him.

The two suddenly appeared with plates of battle amour on, shielding amulets and weapons gleaming from their every conservable space. Harry was armed to the teeth with his smallest knives and a fruit knife stashed in his pocket that morning, unwilling to resort to stun guns.

Harry jump up spinning so that Narcissa didn't have a solid target to stick her knives in. Sirius however, simply lunged forward with a broad sword, having discarded his axes in favor of the large implement, shooting a spell in the opposite direction.

Casting a wandless shield, Harry lunged in the direction of the spell and sent rebounding back to his Godfather, knocking the broad sword out of his hands. Casting the fire charm on his knives, Harry lunged at his recovering Godfather. The man blocked the attack with an arm plate, charmed to resist fire, just as Harry had expected him too.

Reaching into the man's cloak, with reflexes that had Vex smiling on the sidelines, he extracted a ring blade, a circle of steal with sharpened blades that folded and unfolded as the user dictated.

A well aimed kicked from his aunt had him down a moment but he was up in flash, knocking her over the back of the head with the ring blade's grip as he launched himself up and over her with a good wall run. Sirius came down hard on him with his broad sword in one hand and a dagger in the other.

_This is payback for calling him old. _Harry thought to himself as he turned just enough to ram Sirius's dagger into the wall with the help of the man's own weight. Using his close proximity to his Godfather to his advantage, Harry cut the cross bow and arrows from his shoulder. Slipping out of the Death Hug, Harry pulled the cross bow back and loaded it with four arrows which he shot off in rapid fire, pinning his Godfather to the wall.

Harry pushed his sweaty hair from his eyes and pick up his two original knives and crossed them in one hand over Sirius's throat before slipping one from off the man's belt, pressing it to his lower back.

"Do you yield?" He whispered into the man's ear, standing on tiptoe to reach it, ruining the effect.

Sirius was shaking with silent mirth.

"I yield" he smiled "You have gotten quiet good." He clapped Harry on the back as soon as he was freed from his pointy prison.

"You pass kid, congratulations." He hugged Harry and left for the kitchen, in which a giant feast really had been laid out.

**You left your left flank wide open! **Vexation admonished, reclaiming his seat on the back of Harry's neck.

Harry shook his head and petted the cat's face, coving his familiar's eyes to show him just what he thought of flanks.

Dante, Draco and Eva joined them moment's later, thrilled to see the spread set out for them. And so, the feasting and merry making began. No one touched the subject of babies or of Remus's book or of the world outside their cozy little bungalow.

At some point or another it was decided that since Eva did not have a bike of her own, that the four would go to the station with Remus, who would have to make an appearance regarding Sirius's behavior anyway. Harry, Dante and Draco weren't paying much attention to this as they where plotting their start of term prank.

In the end they decided to have a go at the Gryffindor Head of house to appease Draco and repay the blonde's Godfather for the terror bestowed upon him the previous year.

But Snape would be dancing with the squid in his underpants very soon. Yes Harry would make sure of that.

The pudding for dessert was a master piece of frosting and delicately spun sugar. Narcissa presented it with as much pride as she would have given had she been introducing her son in stead of a cavity on a plate.

"It took two hours to make even with magic." She said looking down at the delicate décor atop the dessert.

"No worries, it will take two minutes to eat!" Bella assured her old friend, holing out a bowl, spoon in hand.

Everyone laughed and Narcissa served up the most fantastic pudding Harry had ever tasted. They lulled around the T.V, hot chocolate in hand, a James Bond move on the tube, none of them really up to thinking that night.

When they retired it was with firm hugs good night and good bye, knowing hardly any of them would be awake for the proper send off the next day.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

Harry woke to the sound of scampering foot steps.

Looking out of his room to where the sound had come from, he spotted Regulus trying to catch Kreature.

"I told you to destroy it!"

"Kreature can't master! Kreature tried, if only for Master Regulus!"

"Where is it Kreature?!"

"Kreature is hiding it! Before mistress is taking Kreature's mind, Kreature is hiding it! Kreature is a good elf!"

"Think Kreature!"

"Kreature can't!" The small elf was sobbing, slamming himself into the wall as Regulus watched.

"Uncle Regulus!" Harry cried running out. He grabbed Kreature by his pillow case and hauled him into the air, hugging the decrepit elf to him. The creature latched onto him like a small grotesque child, bawling.

"Uncle Reg! What's happened to you?! And don't tell me it's the new baby! You've had nearly seven months to spaze over that! This is Kreature!" He hugged the wailing elf to him, holding like one would a traumatized infant.

Harry walked away, leaving his Uncle without a chance to explain himself.

"It's okay now Kreature. It's going to be okay. Uncle Reg forgives you. It's not your fault you're missing some of your marbles. Kreature is a good house elf." The poor creature wailed harder, soaking Harry's night shirt.

"It's okay Kreature. Here. Look." He held up an old photograph of Regulus as a teenager and Kreature on his shoulders as the two tried to pick apples.

"This is the man who has forgiven you. It's going to be okay Kreature." Harry sat up with the old house elf for the rest of the two hours till dawn. By then the house elf had calmed down and was easing back into usual state of quiet adoration of both Harry and Regulus.

Harry saw the house elf out the door before changing. He packed the remainder of his things in his trunk before levitating them down the stairs. He took care of Dante and Draco's last minute packing before sending their trunks down to rest next to his own.

Evangeline, like the good little girl she pretended to be, had everything squared away, down to the very last sock. Harry added her stuff to the pile. He collected Dante's owl, Hedwig from the kitchen mantel and sat her on her cage before unearthing Vexation's carrying basket.

He didn't know why he bothered with the basket, the familiar refused to go in on any occasion. With time to spare, he and Kreature made breakfast, Harry helping the house elf leave a special surprise on Regulus's plate.

When everyone came down it was to the smell of pancakes and bacon. They were quietly eating, savoring their last meal together till Christmas when Remus glanced at his watch. His eyes went wide and his mouth opened letting everything he had just finished chewing spill out.

"Eww… Rem, keep it in your mouth." Narcissa chided, making Sirius snort Orange Juice across the table.

The boys snickered but their laughter was cut off when Dante choked on his milk, before looking at his father.

"It's what?" The werewolf squeaked being the only one who could hear Remus' whisper.

"It's ten thirty!" Remus yelped, louder this time so the non-superhuman creatures could hear.

A loud shout of panic filled the house, scarring the birds out of the trees.

They were running around like a flock of chickens with their heads cut off, to the tune of Benny Hill, bumping into walls, doors, troll umbrella stands, each other, Mrs. Black, in their hurry to get out.

It had been Kreature's fault. In a surprising show of hate for his favored Master, Kreature had changed the clocks back half and hour. As the kids where dashing out the door, Harry ordered Kreature to go to Hogwarts and wait for him, so that Regulus or more likely, Sirius couldn't hurt him.

They piled into the car and took off at top speed. Dante in passage seat, Harry behind him and Draco behind Remus with Eva tucked safely between them. They always rode like this, with Draco and Dante sometimes switching places. Harry loathed muggle cars but he abhorred the passenger seats of muggle cars. He never explained why, and no one asked him to elaborate.

The reached Kings Cross at ten fifty three, thanks to several speed violations and a bit of, most likely illegal, magical tinkering with Remus's car. They raced after Remus's coat tails straining to see the suddenly hyper werewolf, hurrying through the crowded station like salmon swimming ups stream…through a pack of Grizzly bears. People where knocking into them, deciding that if people couldn't be early enough to avoid running through the station to make their train, they shouldn't make it at all. Or it could have just been Harry's perception of them.

Dante was the first through the barrier, having been most capable of keeping up with the Elder werewolf. Eva went through next, having been put between two males on either side incases she some how got lost or taken from their pack. Harry was coming up next, Draco hot on his heels.

Harry never varied his running start. He was a couple inches away when he saw, through his magical eye, the barrier seal itself with a series of heavy thunks and locking of bolts and. He veered around letting Draco collided solo into the wall.

"What so you think you're doing?" A station guard walked up to see what all the noise was about.

"Sorry. Lost control of the trolley." Draco explained, brushing off his arm, wincing a bit.

Harry peeked around the corner, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Thanks for that warning there, Har, really saved me from breaking something." Draco sneered.

"Sorry, now move if you want to catch the train!" Harry pushed forward and took a look at the wall. Taking a deep breath, Harry held it and started working on the barrier on the barrier. After a couple minutes of painful working and burnt fingers, Harry got the magic that closed the barrier down and pushed through to see the scarlet steam engine pulling away from the station.

"Damn it!" Harry cursed.

"Harry… Why are their no adults?" Draco asked suddenly.

Harry looked around and sure enough, no one was there.

"If we can't find Uncle Remus, how are we going to get to Hogwarts?" Draco asked.

Harry looked around before closing his eye, so that only his magical one was open, adjusting like a camera lens, as Harry flipped through the settings.

Finally he found the one he wanted. The platform suddenly filled with inferred body signatures, most of which where leaving through the now opened barrier.

"Someone's made it so we can't see anyone and they can't see us." Harry explained to Draco.

"How are we going to get to Hogwarts? Dante had Hedwig so we can't send a note for help!"

"We'll fly." Harry smiled.

"I haven't got a broom, and we didn't bring our motorcycles."

"You know, being a pessimist doesn't solve problems." Harry chided. When the platform had emptied of people, Harry pulled his shrunken motorbike out of his pocket and enlarged it.

"Why did you have your bike in your pocket?" Draco demanded as Harry threw his leg over and kicked the stand up.

"Thought I might want to practice evasive flying, on something bigger than a broom, that is." Harry shrugged. He shrunk down his trunk and stuffed it in his pocket before patting the seat behind him.

As Draco grudgingly clambered on, the warmth that spread suddenly charged Harry. He smiled and revved his engine before launching skyward. He let out a whoop as they passed through the wards over the station, protecting it from sightings by muggle helicopters or airplanes.

They rocketed forward, following the tracks, dipping in and out of the clouds, careful not to be seen.

Harry smiled back at Draco who was hugging his waist, unaccustomed to flying backseat. He laughed and did a few loop-de-loops till Draco was laughing with him. He smiled and was silently glade he had missed the train.They found they train about halfway to Hogwarts, chugging along like a red snake as it waved in and out hills and trees. 

"You want to try a landing?" Harry asked Draco without the joking tone he would have normally used. 

Draco looked at him, skeptical before asking "You think you can land on a moving target?" 

"Let's find out." Harry laughed, taking the bike down. 

"Dante, Dante, Dante. Where for art thou Dante?" Harry hummed, looking through the top of the train with his magical eye. 

"There you are." Harry smiled, touching down rather nosily onto the roof of the train. The wind that pushed against them made it hard to stand right, instead forcing them to their knees. 

"Dante's going to eat us." Draco laughed.

"I know." Harry smiled back.


	5. Chapter 5: Starting Anew?

**Chapter 5: Staring Anew?**

"Lean over and give him a wave!" Harry hollered over the winds to Draco who was slithering his way onto his belly. He inched his over to the window and slid down tapping on it to get the werewolf's attention. 

Draco smiled when he saw his cousin's shocked look and his friends open mouths. He smiled a cheesy smiled and waved before pointing up. Dante looked up then back only to see Draco being hauled back up by his collar. 

Harry jammed one of his knives into the train top and opened it like a tin can. He shrunk his bike and handed Draco down to Dante before following. Once inside he smiled and said "Hello all, as if he always just appeared on train tops and punched holes through them to get inside. 

Smiling, Harry brushed himself off and then Draco, who had been too preoccupied with fixing the roof to do it himself. 

"What the hell happened to you both?" Dante nearly shrieked. He pulled them both into a hug that ended with him punching them in the gut simultaneously. 

Grunting in pain, Harry and Draco slumped to the floor, trying to draw breath. 

"Sorry, Dante!" Draco finally managed. 

"Thought you'd scare your cousin to death and make some grand entrance. Why didn't you just fly into the Great Hall?" Dante huffed, crossing his arms. 

He wasn't mad that they had done it, more that they had done it without him and Harry could tell that his two sides were in conflict. If he had been really mad, he would have had them in headlocks or hanging by their underwear on the front of the train, instead of simply crossing his arms and scolding them as Remus might have. It was funny, the two different sides of Dante. There was the Remus side, brilliant and creative but also strict on rules and edict then their was the Sirius side, fuelled by the enabling features of the Remus side, who was wild and undeterred by the outcome of his actions. He truly was both his parents in one. 

"We didn't have a choice Dante!" Harry said standing up, sitting across from Ron and Hermione, who were playing chess. 

"What do you mean?" He hissed. 

"The barrier closed on us." Draco explained sitting between him and Neville. 

"What?" Hermione's interest was suddenly perked and she turned from her game to look at the two newest members of compartment. 

"Where's Eva?" Harry asked suddenly. 

"She ran off with Ginny." Dante brushed off. "Now what's all this about the barrier closing? You couldn't have gone in a second after Eva. She came through with two minutest to spare." 

"That's the thing." Draco started. They explained everything, from the barrier closing to Harry's less than perfect landing on the roof. 

"This is very odd. Who could have the power to close it so early?" Hermione muttered, thinking to herself. Dante had taken his seat beside her and Ron had given up the half finished chess game and was packing away the pieces. 

"It couldn't have been a wizard." Neville suddenly piped up. The occupants of the compartment looked at him. 

"Well, my Gran told me that when she went to Hogwarts, a group of boys would charm the barrier to close to Slytherins, thought it was funny to watch them smack into the wall at a full run. Caused a lot of commotion on the muggle side of the gate, it did. So they charmed it so that wizard magic couldn't work on the barrier." Neville explained, blushing a bit at having attention brought upon himself. 

Harry smiled. "Nice Nev, now we know that it had to be a creature. You wouldn't have anything to do with this would you Ron." He teased. As Ron muttered about not being an animal, the rest of the car laughed, and balanced was returned to their group. They played Exploding Snape all the way to the castle, pausing only to change into robes. 

**PRODGIY!**

Harry blanched. 

"What's wrong Harry? Bad hand?" Hermione laughed ordering her cards. 

"No! Worse, I left Vex in my pocket!" 

Laughter met his words as Harry scrambled to retrieve his forgotten familiar. 

"Well he is miniature. It's hard not to miss him." Draco laughed, pulling the black and gold cat out of the trunk. 

**Miniature! I'll give you miniature Blondie!**

Harry laughed as Vex swiped at Draco's nose. 

"He's offended because you called him small." Harry offered as explanation as Draco threw a glare at him and his familiar. 

The compartment laughed and scratched Vex behind the ears as an apology, till the

Immortal was subdued into a quiet purr. 

They got one more hand of Exploding Snape in before Eva, Ginny and blonde haired girl, and the twins came to their compartment. 

"What are those?" Fred and George asked in unison, picking up the deck of Exploding Snape cards. 

Harry explained with the help of his co-conspirators. Fred and George shared a look that Harry and Draco licked, while Dante was merely cautious. 

Before anything could be said, the conductor announced their arrival. 

"We'll be doing business later." The twins assured them. Harry and Draco nodded and smiled, waving the twins off. 

"You scared us Cousin!" Eva accused Draco, her lower lip out in a pout. Draco's smile fell and he dropped to his knees. Harry was watching Ginny however, who seemed almost unable to contain her laughter. Harry smiled. Eva was testing the waters, to see how much being at Hogwarts would change their relations. 

"I'm sorry Evangeline. Harry and I didn't mean to scare you." He apologized, hugging the young blonde. She smiled at Harry over his shoulder and winked. "This is Luna, Cousin. She's nice." She leaned in to whisper into Draco's ear. 

"She knows about the Narggals Uncle Sirius talks about after one to many shots with Daddy." She chuckled and waved at Luna, who smiled back vacantly. 

"I hope she's in Gryffindor with us." Eva smiled. 

She was lucky she was so small and cute. Suddenly a horrid thought overcame Harry. What if his Aunt Bella had another girl? There was no way they could deal with another Eva. 

"Harry?"

Eva and Ginny had left with Luna, to join the flock of first years heading with Hagrid to the boats. 

"I don't think I can do it!" He gasped. 

"What?!" Ron jumped. Whatever Harry Potter couldn't do, he certainly wasn't qualified to attempt. 

"What if Aunt Bella has another Eva!?!" 

The three boys turned pure white and had to be shoved along by Neville, Hermione and Ron. 

Harry snapped out of his funk when they reached the carriages, however. He and Draco gasped as they were met with the large reptilian horses, attached to the carriages. 

"What are they?" Harry whispered. 

"No clue." Draco whispered. 

"They're called threastrals. They always pull the carriages." Luna whispered airily, suddenly appearing beside them. They jumped before looking at her and back to the scaled beasts. 

"Odd." Draco whispered climbing into the carriage. 

"Um." Harry hummed his agreement before climbing in after him. 

"Wait!" Draco jumped up suddenly. "Why was she by the carriages. I thought she had gone to the lake with Hagrid and the other first years." 

They looked out to see only air where Luna had once stood. 

"What the blood hell?" Draco whispered. 

**She's an interesting creature, t hat Luna. **Vexation whispered. **She's very much like your Eva. She's probably be a Songtress too. **

**A what?**

**A Songtress Prodigy. Her songs are he spells, her dance her wand. She can feel the pull of the earth and move it with her feet and reshape the winds with her hands. She'll be powerful, much like your Eva will be. And Ginny, I can tell she has a strong connection to a powerful line of gypsies. Must get it from her mother. Nice to see such a long line of female Roma won't die thanks to one man's overactive 'Y' chromosome. **

**Talk about information over load. When were you planning to tell me this?**

**Uhh…right about now actually.**

Vex smiled a big, chasseur cat grin up at Harry before liking his paw clean of the matters. Harry shook his head and picked the cat up as they exited the carriages. 

Harry looked up to the castle and smiled. This year was going to be different. They weren't new to the school, part of the family was with them, they weren't in trouble, they knew the ropes, and they had a fresh start. Thing were going to change this time around. 

"POTTER! Black!" 

Harry looked up at Snape. 

Maybe not so different.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

"You were seen by more than seven students, flying a motorbike over the train! Not to mention the damage to a locomotive that's been on these grounds since before you were born!" Snape got up and strolled around his desk.

It felt like hours since he had started his lecture, but Harry knew it could have only been one at the most.

"Black, I expected so much better from you." Snape's disappointment seemed to drill a hole into Draco's heart.

"It wasn't his choice!" Harry snapped, something inside him taking up the offensive in his protection of Draco. "The barrier sealed itself and when we got through-"

"So you have vandalized even more property!" Snape glared menacingly at Harry, his long hooked nose looming over Harry's head like the beak of a hungry vulture. "You two have gone too far this time. This violation can only be dealt with in the strictest of fashions. We must make an example of the pair of you so we don't have flying cars crashing onto our grounds next term." Snape circled his desk, apparently very adamant about the possibility of flying cars crashing into the Hogwarts castle.

"The both of you will report to me for detentions upon the days of my choosing. You will be notified of your detentions the morning off. The beatings will continue until obedience improves."

Suddenly Draco picked his head up and looked at his Godfather as if in a new light.

"Now get out of my sight before I decide that a harsher punishment is needed." Snape turned his billowing black caped back on them and the scampered for the door.

"Okay, Dray. What was all that about?"

Harry stopped Draco halfway to the Gryffindor dormitory.

"What the beatings thing?" Draco asked.

"Yeah that." Harry realized he was still holding Draco's shoulder and let it go.

"Oh, well before I escaped with Mother, Severus would protect me from my father's beatings by taking me out to his cottage. My father thought that I was getting schooled in the proper edict of a Death Eater, when we were really just playing chess and making potions. That was Sev's catch phrase or code line. He made me repeat it, or said it himself when my father flooed to check on us. It was a cover. I think he's covering for something here. I talked to him about getting to know you. I think he's really try. So, don't blow this one Harry. This is a lot, especially from him."

Harry was slightly hurt that Draco would think he would take advantage of Snape like that but at the same time, knew that the boy had been aware of the loathing Harry's Guardians had expressed for the man, until convince otherwise.

"I would never do anything like that. I won't pass judgment based on Uncle Remus's or Sirius's school days, even if he passes judgment on me for my father and his actions."

Harry turned away, affronted but not pissed. Still it was nice to feel Draco's arm on his shoulder, turning him around to apologize.

"I didn't mean for it to sound that way, it's just I know how hard this is for Sev. I don't want someone else turning him away because of his gruff nature."

Harry smiled and slung an arm around Draco's shoulders.

"I'd never do that. Now lets get. The feast is probably over, but we might be able to coerce some food up from the kitchens before everyone comes back if we hurry."

Draco smiled and ran with Harry the rest of the way to the portrait when they realized they didn't have the password.

"Think you could pull a barrier?" Draco asked, using finger quotes around barrier.

Harry looked at the portrait and adjusted his eyes so he would see the leaves of chains, grates and locks done in different colors of magic.

"It would take awhile. And I'm not really sure I want your Godfather breathing down my neck for this too. Even if it only is for a cover." Harry said sitting beside the fat lady. "It'd be best just to wait."

Draco sat down grudgingly next to him. They sat in comfortable silence for a while before Draco slumped apparently deep in sleep onto Harry's shoulder. Smiling Harry lowered him to his lap. He watched Draco sleep, stroking his blonde head. He was so beautiful when he slept, so at peace, the usual conflicting emotions absent from his face, giving him a younger look.

"What is going on?" Harry whispered, withdrawing his hand from his friend's locks.

"Draco…what's happening." The blonde nuzzled into Harry's stomach, apparently lusting after the soothing touch. Harry complied, returning his hand to duplicate the motion.

It wasn't long afterward that the flock of Gryffindors found them. Harry had fallen asleep to his own rhythmic stroking, and the two had slumped to the floor, sprawled across one another. Dante smiled upon seeing them, knowing that neither were having nightmares at the moment. He always knew the adults were onto something when they teased the two about getting together, but he also knew it would take a few more years before both actually realized it.

He held Hermione back, choosing to wake them up himself, as Percy just stared dumbly at the pair. Ron was sharing some joke with the twins so obviously too busy to conceder helping his friends out of the awkward position.

Dante woke Harry first, as he was on top of Draco.

" Hum? Dante? Am I late for training?" Harry asked stretching the kinks out of his arms and back with a couple sickening pops and cracks.

"You're in the middle of Hogwarts and Draco is underneath you." Dante smiled. "You're also blocking the entrance to the dorms." Dante smiled helping Harry lift the unconscious Draco off him.

"Sorry." Harry murmured sheepishly to the rest of the Gryffindors.

"It's okay Harry, with that flying motorcycle you could get away with anything!" Some Gryffindor called out to the whoops and cheers of the other agreeing members of the house. Harry smiled and after getting the password, "wattlebird", he led the way into the Common Room.

Harry placed Draco on the couch and waited for Eva to come through, knowing she would have some choice words for them.

When she didn't, Harry turned on Dante.

"Where is Evangeline?" He asked in slight panic.

"Don't blow a gasket. She got sorted into Ravenclaw, along with Luna and Ginny." Dante tried to calm the teen down.

"Did she look happy to be in Ravenclaw?" Harry persisted.

"Yes, she and her friends were talking animatedly with the boys at their table all throughout dinner, except for when she was looking to see if you and Draco had shown up. She'll want an explanation when we got to breakfast. What happened anyway?"

Harry proceeded to explain what Snape had said and Draco's suspicions on the subject.

"It sounds like he really is trying to make a change. Aunt Cissy always said that line, "Beatings will continue until" fill in the blank "is improved" when ever see wanted to make Draco smile when they first came to the safe house. He used to be almost as glum as you, but whenever he heard those words, he'd perk right up and laugh like a hyena." Dante smiled at the memory.

Harry relaxed into an armchair, not quite ready to deal with all the information in one night.

"You need to distress soon or you will get a blood clot Harry. Now help me get this lug upstairs and to bed." Harry took Draco's feet and Dante got his head and together they easily hosted the boy up the stairs and into his bed.

Harry quickly grabbed his pajamas and changed in the unoccupied bathroom before climbing into bed while the other boys stripped to boxers and flopped, already asleep onto beds.

"Some times I wonder if they spike the welcoming feast with sleeping potion, to prevent all the returning madness for….yawn…just one….more…..night." Dante whispered as he fell into a natural sleep.

Harry briefly considered the possibility before it slipped from his mind to be replaced by hotdogs dancing with their buns signing the Oscar Myer Winner song. Not eating always made him dream of singing food.


	6. Chapter 6: Hogwarts Hysteria

**Chapter 6: Hogwarts Hysteria **

Harry awoke to his stomach eating itself, dancing hot dogs taunting him and explaining the load of drool on his pillow. It was like Fang had escaped Hagrid's hut and mistaken his pillow for Ron's face.

Rolling out of bed he dragged something on and heaved himself to the door of the dorms and inched out of the room and down the stairs, clutching his stomach with one arm and dragging himself along with the other.

He only stopped when he realized that not far in front of him was Draco, in much the same position, inching his way forward, a loud rumbling coursing through his belly as he dragged it along the floor. The noise rumbled its way up to him and Draco let out a soft moan.

"I'm never missing a meal again." He vowed quietly, clutching his stomach.

"I know how you feel." Harry raised his arm from his belly and slid the rest of the way down the stairs. Even the momentary laps of physical coddling of his stomach made it twist with the pain of hunger. He groaned softly and the two help raise each other to their feet. Together they walked half bent at the waist, down several painful flights of stairs until the reached the Great Hall.

Leaving their normal seats, the two settled for the two closest and piled mountains of food onto their plates.

When other members of the school awoke, they were shoveling down seconds.

"I am going to regret this in a few minutes." Harry hissed forking pancakes into his mouth with a shovel.

"Where were you two? The feast was pointless with only one out of the three Stooges present." Seamus laughed pushing Dean into the Great Hall, passing the two on their way in.

"Tell you later. Must eat now!" Harry spoke without even chewing all of his food.

Draco barley took notice of the people around him, too busy shoving food into his mouth and swallowing it whole. Most of the Hall was watching them, wondering exactly what they had been doing to miss the feast and to eat so much food and still stay so slender.

"Well I hope you two are happy. Because of your little disappearance last night, not only is the whole school a buzz about you, but we had to miss our morning practice because you missed two meals." Dante glared at Draco as if it was entirely his fault before turning a slightly softer glare on Harry.

"You're going to make you selves sick, eating like that." He gave a pointed look. Harry sighed. "I know, but I'd rather get sick then go one more second without all this in my belly." He compiled a small mountain of scraps to the side of his plate before tipping it into his mouth.

"No, if you'll excuse me. I'll be back in time for schedules." With that, Harry walked out in a stately manner. As soon as the door had shut behind him and the coast was clear, he bolted. It had been a long time since his body had rejected food, but he was not unaccustomed to the occurrence. As such, he pristinely emptied half his stomach into the porcelain bowl, cleaned him self up, and returned to the Hall as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He did not, however, pick up his fork again.

By now more people had entered and Harry was able to walk over to the Ravenclaw table to formerly offer his congratulations to the three girls. He kissed Eva on the head and smiled at Ginny and Luna who smiled back to the astonishment of the females both young and old around them. As he left, Harry had the impression he had just sent their popularity ratting rocketing through the roof.

"Hello Ron." The red head managed to raise his head from his plate of eggs before it fell back, unable to deny the force of gravity the yellow yokes held on him.

Dante, Draco and Harry snorted while Hermione politely concealed her amusement.

Ron was saved when a particularly vicious looking owl swooped down, identical red envelopes in its talons.

Harry and Draco gulped as Dante shot out of the hall fallowed by some of the wiser sixth and seventh years. Harry and Draco took their corresponding letters with looks of utmost horror on their faces.

"It was nice knowing you guys." Harry whispered to the few Gryffindors who had stuck around.

"What's the big problem? It's just a Howler?" Ron snipped, obviously annoyed that his deep breakfast diving had been interrupted for such a trivial matter.

"Not just any Howler, mate." Draco corrected. He flipped the letter over and pointed to a decretive seal on the letter. A wolf's gleaming eyes looked back with human like anger radiating from the motionless orbs like heat from a fire. "This patented Mooney Mail." Harry shuddered and hugged Draco swiftly before turning to Ron. "If I don't make it out of this, you can have Vex."

"Vex? Is that all? I don't want that overgrown fluff ball! Can I have your broom?" Ron complained.

"Don't push it." Harry replied, only half joking.

Together he and Draco ripped open the seals on their letters. Flaming tongues of fire leapt out of the envelope as a booming voice yelled "WANT TO ATTRACT ATTENTION DO YOU? WANT TO FLAUNT THE FEW PLEASURES WE GIVE YOU EH? HOW 'BOUT YOU FLAUNT THIS!"

The tongues of fire swept them up, loosing the two boys in a whirl of fire. When the tongues retracted into the letter again, Harry and Draco were left motionless in the middle of the hall when suddenly their hair grew longer and curly, their robes began to mesh together and turned a bight shade of pink and yellow. Harry and Draco turned into girls.

The two smiled and slapped high-fives. The Hall was agape. While turning men into girls was a common prank, a reaction like that had never been the outcome.

"Are you two nuts? You're girls, make-up and all!" Ron hissed, looking ashamed to be associated.

"Are you kidding?" Draco laughed.

"Compared to what they could have done to us, this is like getting a slap on the wrist." Harry cried high-fiving Draco again.

The two waltzed out arm in arm. As soon as they passed through the archway loud singing suddenly covered up groans of horror. The singing was quickly identified as "We Are the Champions".

The Hall had a good laugh.

Dante, well, Dante nearly wet himself.

Ignoring the fact that they were still girls, Draco and Harry went about their business as usual, making a very big deal of their cat fight on the way back from Herbology. When asked why they were fighting, by Percy none the less, Draco promptly responded that Harry said his dress made him look fact. He ran to the nearest bathroom, crying his eyes out, screaming about becoming anorexic like Harry.

All in all they had a good laugh. The "We Are the Champions" song that played anytime either boy walked into a room became so annoying they made a point of walking into rooms at the same time, simply to save everyone from one more rendition. This posed the problem of getting stuck, making the song repeat a pair of lines over and over till they got through with the help of laughing Gryffindors. What was best was no matter how McGonagall tried, she couldn't get the charm off them.

"It was like James Potter was back from the dead." She muttered. Draco and Dante gave each other a look before turning to see that Harry was, thankfully, engaged in having his hair braided by the female portion of the class.

On their way to lunch, Harry and Draco found Eva and Ginny walking out of the Potions room, Luna not far behind.

"Oh, had the big bad bat?" Harry laughed, looking at Ginny's look of annoyance and Luna's less then dreamy expression.

Eva climbed up Harry's arm, her small frame easily settling into his muscular arms.

"You really are small aren't you?" Draco teased. "We should get you a box."

"I'm not that small!" Eva pouted.

"What? No Eva, I wasn't talking to you."

Harry smacked Draco upside the head sending him sprawling.

"How'd it go?"

"He made me wear shoes." She pouted, ripping the shoes and socks off her feet as Harry sat himself down on the stairs with her.

"Such a travesty." Ron laughed.

"Ronald!" Ginny smacked her brother upside the head, sending him into a tangle of limbs as he collided with Draco, who had only just managed to right himself.

"It's for your own protection Evangeline." Dante smiled taking a seat next to Harry, looking the little girl in the eyes.

"I know, but I was blind in there." Eva whined, thriving in the attention she got from her "older brothers".

"I know how you feel." Luna sighed dreamily.

"You'd want to be careful." Ron suggested. Everyone looked at him surprised that he could show such emotion, when his usual range was that of a teaspoon. "If you burn your feet the whole castle will smell like burnt flesh and we'd have to look at the dead skin hanging off your feet." Dante and Harry smacked themselves in the forehead with the heel of their hands.

Neville gave him another smack to the back of the head, but Luna looked at him wide eyed.

"I never thought of it that way." She smiled. "Thank you Ronald."

Everyone looked at her like she was nuts, because she undoubtedly was, but she simply skipped into the Great Hall. "Go one." Harry nudged Eva after her, Ginny following loyal at her heels.

"Um excuse me?"

Just then a timid looking first year who introduced himself as Colin asked for a signed photo. Zabini, having over heard quickly hustled over to them.

"Signed photos Potter? You're giving out signed photos?" his voice echoed around the stone hall. "Everyone line up! Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"

A queue formed faster than a drill sergeant could muster up his troops.

For the first part of lunch, Draco and Harry posed for pictures, a small box at their feet for tips, which people surprisingly offered up. After they were evicted from the hall by an irritated Filch, Harry and Draco signed their pictures in the Great Hall itself.

The laughing was directed to a new source as soon as they entered DADA, however. Lockhart traipsed out of his office in brilliant robes of turquoise, his golden hair, primed and puffed to perfection, the amount of hair products used to keep it up, rendering Dante's sense of smell hopeless mangled in knots of lavender and fruity cocktails.

Lockhart picked up Neville's copy of Travels with Trolls, pointed to the smiling portrait of a smiling Gilderoy Lockhart on the front cover and simply said "Me".

"His powers of observation baffle me." Neville chuckled Ron, who was sitting beside him, and to Draco and Harry, who at the next desk. The three had to muffle their laughter into their robes, or in Draco and Harry's cases, their dresses. Lockhart had prattled on and on, ignoring the fact that everyone possessing what he lacked, in Harry's opinion, namely the vital anatomy that made them a man, was ignoring him.

Harry and Draco made a point of meeting his attempts as jokes with hard stares that had him fumbling with the collar of his robes less than five minutes in. He handed out a quiz on the books, which Draco, Harry and Dante had left in their original packaging, and let the class be as he collected his wits in a corner of the room.

Harry grimaced at the questions on the quiz, looked at Draco, who come across as equally sickened. "And I though I was the one in the dress." Harry whispered, sending Ron, Neville and Draco into peels of muffled laughter before B.S.ing their answers.

When the thirty minutes where up, Draco and Harry had both cracked a rib from holding in their laughter and Ron and Neville were almost comatose on their desk, randomly jumping now and then with a giggle or two. Lockhart flipped through the quizzes, commenting on the answers given here and there. He stopped at one point, the smile slipping off his face faster than Harry could take off on his broom.

He placed the paper face down on his desk with a set jaw. He looked at Harry and locked his fake smile in place.

"It's a pity; none of you seemed to remember anything from my books. I guess that means we'll just have a lot of practice to do this year. On to the lesson then."

"Oh thank God, the lesson hasn't started yet, I was getting worried." Hermione whispered beside Dante, sending the second row into hysterical snickers.

Lockhart extracted a covered cage, perfectly obvious that even the female population of the class was loosing interest. He gave his monologue with as much interest from the crowd as Hamlet's. Harry started making paper airplanes and Draco charmed them different colors. The made birds and rockets and angels. There were seriously considering starting their own company when Lockhart ripped the tarp off the cage of Cornish Pixies.

"Cornish Pixies?" Seamus snorted a laugh that even Lockhart couldn't turn into a scream of terror. So he simply brushed it off, making it out that these "freshly caught Cornish Pixies" were very different from "caught once upon a time Cornish Pixies". The second row snorted and soon had most of the class laughing along with them.

"Well then," Lockhart appeared to be miffed, Harry couldn't really tell because of the magical equivalent of Botox that held his smile in place. He opened the cage. "Let's see what you make of them now!"

Everyone ducked for cover. Harry, Ron and Neville tore off for the cage, grabbing Pixies with their lightning fast reflexes as they paused to tare pages out of Lockhart's books.

"On second thought, let's leave them till the room's ransacked." Harry said thought fully. "I couldn't even use these pages as toilet paper. They're already too full of crap." Ron and Neville laughed, nodding in agreement.

On the other side of the room, however, Dante was trying to get a group of Pixies of Hermione with Draco's help. Seeing his friend's struggles, Harry immobilized the pixies with a sonic pulse from his wand up into the center of the room, which expanded in a giant ripple to all corners of the room, freezing the Pixies in mid-flight.

"Thanks Harry." Hermione whispered hitting Pixie that had been hanging on her hair like George of the Jungle with a book, sending it flying across the room where it hit the chalk board with a sickening crack.

They collected the Pixies, plucking them out of the air and thrusting them into their cage like apples. As they were about to level Lockhart miraculously reemerged.

"Potter, detention, I will notify you as too when." As suddenly as he had appeared, she was gone.

"Well doesn't that bet all?" Draco laughed at the man.

"Eh" Was Harry's only response.

"I mean he didn't even have a reason." Hermione backed Draco up.

"No he did." Harry replied smugly.

The others stopped, expecting him to explain. Harry just continued walking, a smug smile on his face and a spring in his steps as he hurried off to find Eva to find how the rest of her first day had gone.


	7. Chapter 7: Mudbloods, Fakes, Traitors

**Chapter 7: Mudbloods, Fakes, and Traitors, Dear God**

Harry spent the next few days dodging Lockhart, witches that wanted to braid his hair, despite his return to man's clothes, and Colin who wanted nothing more than to pop up at random intervals and say "Hello Harry!" It wasn't that he minded Colin, in fact out of the lot, he'd rather deal with Colin, but the kid was a bit too hyper for his liking.

Vexation was still ignoring Harry because of Ron's comments at breakfast the other morning and Harry's lack of argument for his familiar. In Harry's defense he had been a bit preoccupied with the flaming Mooney Mail at the time, but the Immortal would hear none of it.

The three boys had opened their morning practices to both Neville and Hermione now, as Neville had trained with them over vacation and Hermione was beginning to feel left out. Eva joined them for these morning routines and after a while, Luna followed along. Ginny seemed to feel that if she joined in, she would be imposing on her brother's friends.

By the end of September they had Hermione fighting in Dante's traditional way and Luna steadily gaining of Eva. They were planning to move the pair and Ron and Neville into weapons when the worst happened.

Harry was shaken away at an ungodly hour on a most blissful Saturday morning. It was ungodly compared to even his wake up call of six. Blinking up at his captain, Harry realized he had Wood pinned against the wall with the knife he kept under his mattress.

"Merlin, Wood! Don't scar me like that." Harry yawned and glanced at his clock. "You have got to be kidding!" Harry slurred. "Quidditch practice! Come on Harry!"

Harry groaned and tried to dress himself only to find he was putting his foot in his sweater and his arm in his sweat pants. When he got his pants on his legs and his shirt on his chest, he felt a sense of accomplishment which was only ruined by him spending the next twenty minutes trying to figure out why his sock wouldn't stay on, only to see it was his hat.

"Harry! You'd think it was you first day on the job! Let's go!" Wood pulled his mismatched seeker out, righted his attire and slipped his Quidditch robes over his head before hurrying him out to the field. The team sat slumped together, trying to conserve body heat, yawning, poking and prodding each other to keep themselves awake. Somewhere into the speech about training harder than ever, Harry lost himself to his vow of never missing a meal again. His stomach gave a particularly painful rumble and he nearly toppled forward as he clutched it to stop the pain.

"So, any questions?" Wood finally turned away from his charts and diagrams to look at his disgruntled team.

"Permission to ask a questions sir!" George's hand shot into the air in a mock salute.

"Permission granted with a dew sense of trepidation and dread." Oliver sighed.

"Why couldn't you have told us all this when we were actually capable of listening?"

Oliver wasn't pleased.

"Listen up you lot! We have finally won the Quidditch Cup and I am not about to let it go! This team is going to grow stronger so that when I leave you'll be able to survive on your own." The uncharacteristic joke caught the team off guard. Harry was the first one to tackle him shouting "Oliver you do care!" as he collided with the burly youth, followed by the twins then the remainder of the team.

When they flopped out of the tent in a huddle of robes, laughing and more awake then ever before, the sun was up and Harry's group of friends was sitting in the stands munching on toast and in Draco's case, gorging on a stack of pancakes. Harry growled, asked Wood for a moment, mounted his broom and took off for the stands. He liberated half the stack from Draco and shot off before the boy could unhinge his jaw and suck Harry into the void he had in place of a stomach.

After he had liberated some food from his friends, Harry raced Fred and George in their warm-up laps, letting the cool morning wind whip his face. Suddenly a flash of light caught Harry's eyes. Colin sat a little ways off with Ginny, Luna and Eva taking shot after shot.

"Oi! Who's the little nipper with the camera?" George called to Harry.

"Colin!" Harry fumed.

"Harry! Who's that boy with your friends? I don't like him taking pictures. He could be a Slytherin spy!" Wood spazed, fully intending to rush off and dispose of the liability himself.

"It's okay Wood. He's a Gryffindor." Harry pacified the irritated captain.

"Besides, the Slytherins don't need a spy." George added.

"What makes you say that?" Wood asked anger over ruled by curiosity.

"Cause they're here in person." Fred said pointing to the oncoming green and silver clad players.

"What do they think they're doing?" Wood shot to the ground landing with a force that almost made his knees buckle.

Ron and the gang were already out of the stands and on the field, Eva and her crew not far behind.

**Warning: the fallowing scene may contain vulgar and violence to violent for some children. Please note the nearest exits.**

**Shut up Vex. Now is not the time for you to start talking to me.**

**Sorry Prodigy, I thought it was prudent. **

Harry dash forward to find his captain and the Slytherin captain in the midst of what must have appeared as an epic battle to anyone who didn't know it was over Quidditch space.

"I've got a note." Marcus Flint defended, handing the scroll over to Wood to inspect.

"I, Professor Severus Snape…blah blah blah…owing to the need to train their new Seeker." Wood crushed the scroll in his hand as he forced it to his side. "So tell me Flint, who has bought their way onto your team this time." The group of emerald clad players stepped aside to reveal Balise Zabini all cradling their Nimbus 2001.

"You!" Harry couldn't help the growl that entered his tone as pushed in front of Draco. Something inside him stirred, slithering up into his brain as a feral snarl over took his face.

"That's right." Zabini smiled triumphantly. "I figured if it was Quidditch players my Draco was after why not show him a real player." Harry snarled, lashing out at the Slytherin but was yanked back by 12 pairs of hands.

"Well Draco, I will not hinder your pleasure in keeping pets, but put you cat on a leash." Zabini smiled again, that same arrogant smile. Harry hissed deep and low in his chest, cursing the arrogant pureblood with every word in his vocabulary, changing languages as often as he did words.

"I must say that before I can take you back your taste in friends must drastically improve." His gaze fell on Dante and Hermione who were huddled together next to Ron and Colin. Luna and Eva were taking stances, their bare feet spread wide to give them a firm grasp on the ground.

"Really Draco, a Mudblood and a Fake how coul-"

He didn't have enough time to finish his sentence. Harry had ripped out of his friends' grasps', not that they were trying to hard to hold him back any more, and torn across the lawn, through the Slytherin defensive line, and cut Blaise down.

He had Balise on the ground, a magical shield around them so that no one could interfere or see him. With the last of his magical stores, Harry cast an image of himself leading Balise away by the arm, yelling about talking to McGonagall about his word choices.

His animal instincts may have kicked in but he wasn't stupid. Balise could have him doing a lot worse then detention with Snape or Lockhart. So long as there were no witnesses to this violence and he had the power to rectify his memories, Baslie would never be able to prove his story, not that he would ever admit to loosing to a Halfblood.

Harry continued to pound on Balise, cutting him, punching him before he reached under his robes for his guns only to find they were no longer there. He cursed Wood and stunned Balise with the last of his magic stores. Huffing he looked down at the battered and broken Slytherin. He was bleeding from his nose, mouth, and a cut just under the hair line. He had a black eye and was missing a tooth. Harry dragged the member across the grounds and up several flights of stairs, unnecessarily climbed to reach the Deputy Headmistress's office.

Using his will, he made his charms on himself and Zabini disappear and replaced them making the bedraggled and stunned Slytherin appear perfectly normal. He explained the occurrence in the court yard to the Gryffindor Head and let her chew Balise out, making him respond in accordance to her words and his character.

When all was over and done Balise had three days of detention cleaning the toilets with a toothbrush. Harry dropped him off in an obscure passage way and took the charms off him. He gave the lifeless form a kick for good measure and hit him over the back of the head with the butt of his blade to explain his unconscious state.

Harry left through a complex series of passages so that he appeared to be coming out from the boy's bathrooms near the entrance hall. He met up with the Gryffindor team and his friends outside of Hagrid's hut where Dante was comforting a nearly tearful Hermione. Harry gave his dorm mates a victorious smile and a wink before explaining what he had done with the boy, leaving out the violence.

**All I can say is that you're finally thinking with your head, Prodigy. No more of that silly "kill now, think latter" nonsense.**

Harry looked down at his familiar who was rubbing comfortingly up against Hermione's leg, letting her stroke him, even pick him up and pet him.

"What I don't get is when Balise said Draco was friends with a Fake. All the Fakes are in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw." Angelina spoke up.

Harry looked away as everyone stayed quiet, as if in thought.

"I'm sorry. But, while I know Mudblood, I'm unfamiliar with the term Fake." Hermione spoke up, whipping a single tear from her eye.

"It's not a Fake. There's no polite terminology. Different is best but even then… Fake is a name for a child born of magic, created in a cauldron, a Potion Baby. Much like Mudblood for a muggle suggesting dirty blood, Fake implies the person is not real, that because they were not considered by a mother that they are not real. Its bull shit and in my opinion a worse insult than Mudblood." Harry spat on the ground, hardly caring that blood mingled with the saliva from the single punch to the jaw that Zabini had landed. Something was beating at the back of his mind, seeming to cheer on the violence. It was dark and lonely but powerful within the gloom, but at the same time intoxicating and nauseating.

"Most Potion Babies are placed in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff because they are breed to be brilliant or loyal. Dark wizards created the art of "brewing" children." Eva explained lightly, taking over for Harry who was too busy shaking with rage to continue. "They wanted obedient super-children, children that could hide in the real world, but were basically drones, so they programmed human children with specific wants and desires, special skills and intellect turning them into weapons. Along the lines, the art was discovered and same sex couples used it to created children with their traits but individual personalities. Unlike the Dark Wizards, the light couples did not pick and chose traits."

"It's a fucking attack on the light side, just because they improved the process so the child is born the exact same way as a "normal" child, just without the female host. The baby takes on traits from both fathers or both mothers. It's a real human, a living being with a heart and a soul." Draco cursed.

Harry was still shaking, magic crackling around him like an electric wave. Finally he turned on the nearest object, a large rock, and kicked it full force. The rock shattered and Harry cooled.

"That's horrible." Hermione snuggled into Dante's side. "Who could ever hate someone for having loving parents? Parents that would go to such lengths to share their life with someone else to love can't be any different from normal parents."

Dante smiled down at her, relieved though trying not to show it. "That's exactly what we think." He whipped a tear from her eye with a long index finger, smiling at her.

Harry spat on the ground again, blood collecting in his mouth, effectively ruining their moment. Moving his jaw back and forth he assessed the damage. He was going to have a pretty bruise come morning. But it was so worth it. He smiled, slowly relaxing. The team split up to do separate things. Eva consoled Dante privately while Harry, Ron, Draco and Hermione walked back up to the castle.

Once inside they found a pompous looking Lockhart waiting them.

"Harry. Detention tonight. My office if you would. No need to bring anything, you'll be helping me to answer my fan mail." He smiled knowingly, too much pleasure in his smile for Harry to believe the man didn't know how much pain he was putting Harry through. His tone so sickeningly sweat, it was as if he had just handed Harry a large sack of gold.

Harry barred his teeth and watched Lockhart glide away before giving him a rather rude hand gesture, bathed in curse words in a variety of languages. Dante came in to hear the end off it and smiled. "Got your detention with Lockhart I see."

Harry growled, stalking off to the Great Hall for lunch, shoveling food into his mouth before climbing the stairs to his dorm were upon he beat the hell out of everything he had in his trunk training room with everything in his armory.

"Harry?" He wrenched his battle axes out of a wooden dummy and turned around to see Eva standing there with Luna, and Ginny. "Harry its okay. Now come out and eat some dinner or you're going to starve in detention." She didn't pity him. She was commanding him to get over it. Harry smiled at her, bending over to hug her before scolding her about being in his trunk and in the boy's dormitories at all.

Together, Harry and the three girls walked down to the Great Hall, Eva ridding proudly on Harry's muscular shoulder, earning herself many looks. All over the castle females were wishing to trade places with her as Harry gently set her down in her seat with a hug and a kiss to the forehead. Eva pushed him off to his seat as if it meant nothing to her.

Harry laughed, his spirits brightening. He sat and laughed with the Gryffindors, pretending to just learn of Zabini's apparent pounding in a secret passageway. Draco, Dante and Ron traded looks of conquest while Neville and Hermione looked at him proudly for covering his tracks. They laughed and joked with Fred and George, ignoring Percy who was cooing over Penelope Clearwater, whom Ginny had apparently introduced him too. The night was so nice Harry almost forgot he had Lockhart that afternoon.

"Almost" being the key word.

His friends left him in front of the pompous git's door with a sense of foreboding.

"Are you sure I can't have your broom?" Ron wheedled. Harry shoved him off with a last smile before collecting himself, leaving all his weapons with Dante and had Draco bind his magic for fear he would attack the peacock.

When he entered the room, Lockhart had a chair for him, a lavish quill and lavender ink open, a stack of envelopes ready for him.

"Ah Harry. No I and sorry we had to speak under such conditions. But I saw no way to get you on your own, so you could drop the façade and feel comfortable with me."

"Excuse me?" Harry growled as Lockhart gestured for him to take his seat.

"Well after that day in Diagon Alley, I knew that I had to take you under my wing before your foolish, childish ways ruined you." He made to wrap an arm around Harry but he jutted back.

"I don't do touching." He hissed, inching his stool away from the professor. He began writing fervently, ignoring Lockhart's occasional mumblings of "Fame is a fickle friend" or "celebrity is a celebrity does" and other such drivel. He was on his last envelope when he heard it.

Braking up Lockhart's incessant prattle about his fans and Harry's less then par fame, a sweat icy voice calling out through the room, through the ceiling, like so omnipresent being. The voice chilled his marrow but raced his heart, filling him with breathtaking wonder.

_**Come…Come to me…Let me rip you…Let me tare you…Let me kill you…**_

Harry stood instantly, dropping the quill on the desk and walking out of the room, ignoring everything else but the voice. The small black patch in the back of his mind quivered excitedly, seeming to grow as the words flowed through his mind.

_**Blood…you smell it too...So wonderful a smell…fresh blood…can't you taste it? Such a lovely to me! Share this blood with me!**_

"Harry!" Draco appeared suddenly, his cool voice driving any notion of following the other from his mind. He looked so statuesque standing with a candle in hand, his robes pulled back, tied loosened around his neck, blonde hair slightly ruffled.

"I was coming to get you. Come on. We have our first detention with Snape tomorrow. You'll want to get some sleep." Harry rushed to his side, quietly clinging to Draco's side, not so much needy but reassuring himself that Draco was real.

"What's the matter with you? You're pale as a ghost. You're okay right?" Draco took Harry's chin in his hand and looked the raven haired boy over. "Come on. Back to the Common Room. We can sleep in my bed tonight." Harry nodded, not saying anything. The last time he had heard such a voice….he shuddered. Draco clapped a hand around him and pulled him close, draping his outer robes over his companion's shoulders.

"Let's hurry." He tried not to let the worry penetrate his voice but Harry was really scaring him today. Fist attacking Zabini next these sort of brake down, something was happening with his boy that neither understood.

Harry was just happy to hold Draco again; he made the dark patch shrink away for a time. At lest here he was sure of what was real. The voice seemed to cast a spell over him, just as it had before. He shuddered again and Draco picked up the pace, seriously considering scooping Harry up in his arms and running full tilt to the Common Room.

Something was going on, something at shouted Voldemort.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

Morning brought an unnatural sense of waiting. The air was dead; leaves left unmoving, hanging limply from trees, colors motionless and uniform. The students were quiet, eerily so, walking through the castle only when needed. Breakfast was a somber affair that everyone attended out of necessity.

Mail was not met with the usual array cheers or groans that normally came of letters from home. Harry, Draco, Dante and the few Gryffindors that dared linger to the edge of the allotted time for breakfast came in to find the Hall in a dead lock, whispers, barely above a werewolf's hearing ability swept the hall, as if the students were trying to replace the missing wind with their own.

As soon as the doors opened however, all eyes turned to them, staring at them with unblinking eyes. But, while being stared at was a pastime Harry had come to terms with, the eyes were not focused on him but slightly to his left were Dante stood ridged.

Draco leaned slightly forward so he could look at Dante from around Harry who was slowly inching his blade back into his sleeve. He had been on edge all morning, still on a battle high from his unfinished, unfulfilling fight with Zabini. Even know he had his guns under his robes, tucked into their holsters at his sides.

"What are they looking at?" Dante whispered.

"You mate." Ron whispered back, peeking through the space between Harry's shoulder and Dante's.

"Yes." Dante whispered back impatiently. "But why?"

"That's why!" Draco lunged forward, yanking a thin newspaper off the Hufflepuff table. Scrawled across the top was the heading, _Hogwarts Hogwash _in spike black lettering. Underneath it was a small summery of the paper reading: _To the readers of this esteemed paper. A time of lies has descended upon us where we can no longer count on adults or heroes to tell us what is going on let alone the truth about what happens behind the scenes. I, the Informer, and my helper, Mole, work for you, finding out the truths because, dear reader, we deserve the truths. _

Slightly lower was a picture of Dante, Harry and Draco, Zabini in Harry's arms. Dante's face was enlarged in a small square over the picture the word 'Fake' stamped over it with a question mark.

"What?!" Harry snatched the paper up and nearly ripped it out of his friend's hand.

The title of the article was scrawled under the picture in red ink reading, _Fake or Fiction? _The article was written by someone named Informer. Harry quickly scanned the paper, his eyes darting furiously across the paper.

_Faithful readers, for too long have we willingly placed our faith in a group that we have little knowledge of. Therefore, Mole and I have dedicated ourselves into deviling into the mysteries held by those in power, both in the school body and the faculty as well as those outside the school itself._

_Dante Leo Black-Lupin, known associate of Harry Potter and Draco Black not to mention Hermione Granger, and the Weasley clan, has been identified as a Fake._

_For less informed or muggle-born readers, a Fake, or a potion baby, is just that, a child created with potions ingredients. The process was developed during the first war with Voldemort when Death Eaters created weapons in the form of soldiers. They could create their children to be lightning fast, athletic, built for battle, with the inelegance of a super human. _

_Same Sex couples discovered this method and began using it to have children, though they made it impossible to determine the child's genes by adding both of their own, making the child a mix of both._

_After some research into the fact, it has been verified that Mr. Black-Lupin is an exact mix of the two lines. Sirius Orion Black, Dante's second father, has been on the run from the law for murdering thirteen muggles for nearly five years after escaping six years into his life sentence. Mr. Remus John Lupin, Mr. Black's mate and coconspirator, another good friend of James Harold Potter and Lillian Rose Evans-Potter, is suspected of helping Black escape Azkaban and in the plot to kidnap Harry James Potter. _

_One must wonder just what Potter Jr. has done to these men, or vice versa, for such an odd family tree to have been formed. Then there is the matter of Draconious Lucius Black, formerly known as Draco Malfoy, and one Evangeline Ronan Black. The fact of the matter is Ladies and Gentlemen, the world knows nothing about these strangers and yet they had become Quidditch heroes, homework consultants, powerful study buddies, the Playwizards of Hogwarts. _

_It is time to address the darkness behind the lies we have not yet been told. Attack the problem before it can bare fangs._

Harry didn't have time to rip the paper in half, it was already a smoldering pile of ash on the floor of the Great Hall, having burst into flames as he read it. Dante stood stock still, unwilling to consider what this meant.

"Dante!" Harry snapped, shocking him out of his stupor. The three boys stalked off to have a meeting to discuses damage control. Ron and Hermione sat down with Eva and Luna in the entrance hall, Ginny passing in front of them, a determined look gleaming in her eyes.


	8. Chapter 8: Eva's World

**Chapter 8: Eva's World**

Eva woke to the sound of Luna's alarm clock, whistling like a tea kettle. She dashed to the bathroom, a towel in hand knowing that if she delayed a mot, her dorm mates would have all the hot water in a heart beat. She didn't even bother to pick up her uniform. She was under the water before Ginny entered the bathroom, having roused herself only seconds behind Eva.

"Morning Eva." She whispered.

"Morning Gin." Eva tried her best to smile.

They both knew what hung in the atmosphere around them now. Secrets were out, and today was the day they were going to see the results for themselves. Dante, Harry and Draco had pulled out of Hogwarts, hiding out wherever they went when Dante was in werewolf form. They had been working on damage control since _Hogwarts Hogwash _was printed and delivered to the students in the Great Hall.

What bothered Eva was that they didn't bother to consult her. She was as much part of the injured party as they were. They just didn't want her to get hurt. Such a foolish human notion, thinking they could still protect her. They were bigger fools then she had ever let herself believe. They thought that they could keep her out of their business, as ugly as it was, they truly believed she would remain unaffected.

"Eva?"

Eva was shocked out of her stupor and was surprised to feel the water getting colder. Ginny was watching her worriedly from outside the low stall walls, a towel wrapped around her waist. Her long, thick, locks were curling after the steam of the shower had had its way with them. She tipped her head to the side and looked at Eva, who was suddenly aware of how exposed she had left herself.

Drawing her arms around herself she tried to smile at her friend but her eyes betrayed her. Stepping out into a towel, Eva followed Ginny to the dorms, pushing her away from the thoughts. The two got dressed and went down stairs to where Luna waited for them, radishes hanging in her ears, a book under her nose, a smile playing on her lips.

It lifted Eva's spirits to see her bare feet curled beneath her the charmed ankle bracelet she'd given to both her friends easily visible on her bare leg. Luna's had gold beads spaced out by small black coins with different symbols on them. Ginny's was much the same only hers had red coins and black beads. Eva's had green beads and black coins with her symbols in white as it was more advanced than the other two, because she knew how to use it.

At the moment, all Ginny and Luna could do with their anklets was heat their feet with a simply charm and protect their feet from sharp objects they might tread on. Eva's would let her walk on a bed on nails and feel as though it was air, warm her feet like a pair of slippers, differentiate the vibrations on different levels allowing her to identify an approaching threat from miles off.

There was more advance protections and adds that took more skill, but she was quick to teach them, adding the new charms to them as soon as they were read for them.

Luna took note of their presents and climbed off the couch, closing her book.

"How is Dante taking it?" She asked airily.

"Don't know." Eva tried to brush it off. "I haven't seen him since the incident yesterday."

"Come on. Maybe their still training." Ginny pulled her worried friend out of the Common Room, Luna trailing their fast pass at a more moderate one of her own choosing. They looked out of the watch tower from behind the large clock's face, peering into the grounds to see all three boys swimming furious laps around the lake. From the way Vex was nestled into their clothes on the bank, they had been at it a while.

"Come on." Ginny pulled them off again, tarring down the stairs.

They were on the third to last landing when Eva felt them. She planted her feet firmly and pulled Ginny down just as a large Slytherin fifth year took a swing at the space where they had been standing. Ginny lunged out in a drop spin and caught a second boy, sweeping his feet out from underneath him.

"You're whole family is scum." A third yelled. "We're doing the world a favor by getting rid of you before you disgrace anyone any more. You all are worse than Mudbloods." He was blocking Eva's furious swipes with some ease, but as he continued to talk, perspiration beaded his brow. Eva's sensing was too good for the burly youth. Every time he took a step she knew where he was going to land she was unable to unseat him.

"Never underestimate anyone, even muggles. Really, don't. It could be the last thing you ever do. Muggles may be slightly inferior in your books, but you should still never underestimate them." She grinned evilly pulling his arm back behind his shoulder. She looked the boy over, familiarity stunting her movement. "You seem oddly familiar…Have I held you in a headlock before?"

"I'm not in a headlock now." He hissed.

"Oh I do apologize!" Eva hurriedly got off him only to tackle him as he tried to stand up, putting him into a headlock. "Much better. Now, spill."

"I'm on the Slytherin Quidditch team, I saw you when Potter attacked Balise. We all know that boy didn't simply drag him off. He attacked on the spot and used magic!" The Slytherin hissed. "Damn glade Filch had that paper work on you all. Now the world knows you are freaks!" He tried to laugh but Eva cut off his windpipe. Ginny had her guy pinned to the ground but Luna was still fighting her massive opponent.

Suddenly she went flying over the stair rail and landed with a sickening thud that made Eva see red.

"IF ANYTHING HAS HAPPENED TO HER, MAY WHAT EVER GOD WATCHES YOU RUN AWAY AND HIDE BECAUSE WHEN I'M THROUGH WITH YOU EVEN HE WON"T BE ABLE TO SAVE YOU AND WHEN HE TRIES I'LL GET HIM TOO!" Eva slammed the boy's head against the floor rendering him unconscious before roundhouse kicking Luna's assailant in the head, probably breaking his jaw with the impact before vaulting the banister and landing next to Luna.

Blood trickled from the back of her head as Eva tenderly lifted her from the stone ground and carted her off to the Hospital wing. Those boys weren't about to get away with this. She dropped Luna off with a promise to be back as soon as the three were hung up by their ankles in Filch's office.

Ginny was binding the three goons hands together when she returned.

"They said Filch had the papers." Eva openly mused. "Why would Filch have our papers?" She looked at Ginny as she hauled two of them up on her arms, leaving Ginny to struggle with the last one.

"You don't think Filch wrote _Hogwarts Hogwash_?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"I don't know what to think. Right now I just want to give Dante a crack at these guys before I take them to Sinatra."

"Is that wise?" Ginny asked skeptical of her friend's logic at the moment. She normally thought so clearly, thinking through each step before taking it. But she seemed to be dashing from one thing to the next now. It worried Ginny greatly.

"I guess not. Let's just get them to the Head." Eva glared at the meat sacks on her shoulders.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

"You were what?!" Draco was on his feet, snorting smoke out of his nostrils before Dante could yank him into his seat.

The study period was passing with grueling sluggishness. Every student not on friendly terms with their group had made a four foot bubble around them like they carried some plague that would eat away at their flesh if they got any closer. Ginny and Eva had joined Harry, Dante, Draco, Ron and Hermione in their small corner and were reporting that morning's adventure.

"Yeah, but nothing else has happened. Just some vicious looks and unwanted negative attention." Eva brought her arms around herself and was suddenly smashed in a pile of her big brothers.

_This must be what Ginny feels like, all the time._

Eva grimaced and waited for them to peel themselves off her. "You haven't been too bad off?" She asked Dante. "Not really, hissing and booing in the halls and a few trip attempts that are badly executed and easily avoided. Though the presents in my seats are less then pleasing." He shuddered.

Eva smiled, picking up her books, motioning for Ginny to do the same.

"Well gentlemen, this has been grudgingly funny. I must remember to have my friends attacked more often so we can experience these little moments of awkward family love under more fortuitous circumstances. But for now, we are off to see Luna."

"Can I come?"

Everyone turned surprised to see Ron looking hopefully at Eva.

" What? I like Luna, she's funny." He crossed his arms over his chest. "She adds a sense of joviality to any situation."

"Sure Ron." Dante and Hermione chimed. Draco and Harry simply looked at each other.

Ron followed Eva out, still grumbling about disliking the group's aura and the thickness of the air around them. Eva smiled knowingly at Ginny, but her friend seemed to be lost in another world all her own at the moment.

They walked in silence to the Hospital wing, intent on seeing Luna, no matter what the pushy matron said. When they reached the Hospital wing, enough of an aura of power had gathered around them that Madam Pomfrey didn't even put up a fight.

Luna was sitting propped up with a stake of pillows, her book open before her on a table.

"Luna." Eva smiled. "We came to visit."

She smiled as she looked from Ginny, over Eva and let her eyes linger on Ron. "This is a pleasant surprise." She cooed. "Ronald, how good to see you."

Ron's ears went red. "Good to see you too Luna. You okay?"

"Very much so." She smiled. "Thank you for your concern."

"Yeah." He smiled rubbing a hand behind his neck.

"I wouldn't have missed Eva, if it hadn't been for the Pooka." She said looking glumly at her friend.

"The Pooka?" Ginny and Eva asked, a smile playing on Eva's face, a eyebrow lifting over Ginny's eye.

"Yes." Luna smiled. "Beautiful creatures, they are a bit distracting though. They come in bright lights and take you to the land of day dreams. Too bad I was in the middle of a fight when one caught my eyes." She looked sadly down at her bed.

"Yeah too bad." Ron smiled.

Eva and Ginny giggled making Ron turn a red that would rival his hair. "Don't you get tired of being crazy and random Luna?" Ginny smiled.

"If this is being crazy, I never want to be sane again." Luna laughed. "As for the accusation of being random, randomness is the base of conversation. Where would we be without it? Stuck in this boring old room with nothing to do but stare blankly at one another till a Pooka came along."

The three visitors exchanged a smile before settling in chairs and on the end of the bed to talk to the blonde female for a while.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

After dinner, Ron had still not returned even though Ginny and Eva had. He had chosen to eat in the hospital wing with Luna. The other boys had plans in mind. Their plans for a redemption prank were underway as they spoke. They had a check list going the title of which read _Random Things that would Annoy Everyone! _

It would be an extensive prank filled with many different segments, the first to happen that night. Harry smiled gleefully at the two boys beside him. They each raised thumbs up, turning to face the teachers, making sure each and everyone was covered. The whole hall was on edge. The rumor of the prank had been circulating ever since Harry had put the tip off out into the open with Colin, who was more than willing to spread the love.

Everyone kept glancing at them throughout the dinner, wondering when the time would come. Finally there were results. Just as everyone was getting ready to leave, Harry, Dante and Draco shot off their spells, hitting each teacher at the table with their homemade spells.

Everyone waited but nothing happened. Then Snape got up and stalked out the side door and the sound of the Batman theme song filled the Great Hall. Snape Stalked back in to rectify the laughing only to start the song over. The teachers began to understand what had happened and each one walked out of the Hall then back in with varying degrees of disgust or annoyance on their face.

Lockhart had "Too Sexy for My Shirt" in a squeaky chipmunk melody, while Trelawney had "The Beer Song". Dumbledore had "The Happy Song", while McGonagall had "What's New Pussy Cat" to contend with. Hagrid's was a loud tuba playing a repetitive melody, Flitwick had "It's a Small Small World" while Sprout was left with "Like a Virgin" this only left Sinatra with the "The Chicken Dance".

The hall was in peels of laughter. People had rolled out of their seat and were busting a rib on the floor, while others were banging fists on the table or aspirating on their pudding which they had unceremoniously dropped their heads into.

Harry, Draco and Dante exchanged high-fives and smiled at their handy work, checking it off their list. The next phase would have to wait a while, there were something that would take time and precision but would be damn well worth it.

The crowded Great Hall dispersed and Draco and Harry found themselves deeply regretting the obvious high-fives they had exchanged in the Great Hall. They stood out side the Potions Room, waiting for each other to open the so they might be spared the pain of what it entailed. In the end Draco extended a hand a pushed the door open.

Snape stood statuesque in the center of the room. His back was to them, outlined in the firelight that came from his fireplace in a warm throb. He turned slowly to look at them over his shoulder, inconspicuously flicking his wand to shut the door behind him. The two boys stood still as he worked.

Draco ran into the room once the charms were up, flinging himself into Snape's open arms. "I've been worried Godfather!" He cried, holding tight to the man. Harry watched the exchange with hate rising in his chest. Something inside him had lifted its head as soon as Draco had taken his running step towards the man. Now as they held each other, it snorted smoke and demanded to roar.

As Harry walked into the room, he wrinkled his nose as he observed the slimy things around the room. "You really need to redecorate," noted Harry to Draco who was making a shushing movement with his finger.

"As much as your input about my room is appreciated, Potter, please refrain from telling me about my tastes when you insist on wearing those glasses." said Snape from behind him. Harry whirled around, not expecting Snape to be behind him.

"How did you get there without me noticing?!" asked Harry, clutching his chest in a hope to calm his racing heart. Draco slapped a hand to his forehead

"It's called walking, Potter. Take a seat, please," said Snape, holding out his hand, gesturing to a chair. Harry frowned and reluctantly dropped into his seat muttering about unfriendly manners. His fingers drifted lazily toward the desk where he picked up the formerly mentioned professor's wand, twirling it boldly in his fingers.

He immediately dodged the spell that rocketed his way.

"Hey! No cursing the students!" shouted Harry as a stunning spell came at him. He had dropped the wand in his surprise and with was back in the hands of the Potions Master. Draco was watching as his friend made the gravest mistake of his young life. He had always known Harry would die young, but he had always thought it would have been from falling off a broom.

"I wouldn't if said student hadn't taken my wand," snarled Snape as another curse came out of his wand. Harry dodged, but it grazed his side. Harry gave a gasp as a huge cut split open his side.

"What the hell?!" Draco cried as Harry barely moved out of the way of another curse. "Stop it! STOP IT!"

The curses stopped, however hesitantly. "Detention, Potter, for taking my wand away," said Snape maliciously. Harry shrugged indifferently. It was a power play, see who was man enough for Draco's affections. The Godfather, or the other party and both men recognized it.

"Okay. What time?"

"Seven o'clock tomorrow evening."

"See you then," and, with that, Harry calmly walked out of Snape's office.

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

"What the Hell?!" Draco rounded on him as soon as they where out of the door way.

Harry shook himself, the large best that has risen within him calmed by Draco's scathing words. "I'm sorry Draco!" He cried shaking a bit. "I didn't…I mean…I had no intention of…. Bloody hell…but when I saw…"

Draco was having none of it. "Whatever is happening to you, you better work on it Harry James Potter because I will not have you embarrass me like that ever again!" Draco spun on his heel and stalked up the stairs.

"Draco! Draco! I'm sorry!" Harry raced after him. "Please! Draco no!" Harry couldn't get his receding form to return and suddenly the air around him was cold as eyes, with little space for him to move. Words buzzed like static through the air, their sweet nature tempting him with ever letter.

_**Young blood...We smell it in him…Yes he will be a fine mate…Yes, but first we must feast!**_

"Stop it." Harry hissed, near tears. In panic he fled back into the room he had just left.

"Professor, I'm so sorry! I have no idea…" Harry trialed off as he saw his Potions Master, slumped in a winged chair made of black leather with a glass in hand, filled with a brown liquid that looked like it could be nothing other than brandy.

"It's okay Potter." He whispered tiredly, almost as though he had been defeated in some great battle. "I wondered why had hadn't come to see me sooner. But know I know why." He turned away from the fire, his eyes tired, bags suddenly apparent under them. He looked so old, so beaten, that Harry's mouth hung open.

"Open your mind to me. From an old man to the new generation. If you're going to be taking Draco from me, please just let me this one request?"

Without a word Harry let every wall he ever built fall from around the black box he had enclosed his mind in. He opened the door wide, and let Snape flick masterfully through his thoughts, his dreams, his memories.

The whole probing took about five minutes but to Harry and the man, it was like years of understanding balm had healed old scars. Harry looked up to him. "I'm very sorry sir. I know that nothing I have done here is to be proud of, but please, it's just that Draco-"

"I know the feeling very well Mr. Potter." Snape sat down slowly. "I was young at one time too, and it may surprise you, but I had animal instinct too. Much like your own connection with Mr. Malfoy, the Veela side he gets from his father calls to the animal that hides within you. However, I will do nothing to help you regain you place at Mr. Black's side. If you are truly his, he will take you back of his own accord."

Harry found himself sitting on the floor.

"Can you help me just a little? Please sir! I don't want to mess this up more than I have." Maybe it was the experience Snape had with the same anguish, but for some reason he caved in slightly, just the smallest amount. He collected his old appearance but he talked to Harry in a less acidic tone, teaching him, proclaiming his stupidity all the while, but still teaching him, what exactly it meant to be where he was.

If Draco hadn't have snuck back down to apologize for his friend, he never would have seen them, never would have felt the worry the radiated of Harry, nor the pain the filled his eyes. He had seen that look often before, but it was always over the outcome of a mistake he made after just coming to them. It was the same look he held when he handed over a belt to Sirius, fully expecting him to strike him after he dropped a glass or when he woke someone in the house with his nightmares.

It was odd, therefore, to see it now, over him, the same worried pain that came from years of torment over possibly loosing him. Draco suddenly wanted to make Harry know whatever he did Draco would never be able to disown him. Some bonds were magical, some took work, but the best were the ones that took work that produced magic. That was his bond with Harry. It always had been. He had too make sure the boy knew he wanted all of him, not just the good.

Harry Potter was just Harry to him, not the Boy-Who-Lived, not any of the stupid names the people gave him. He was a person with a story, and Draco intended on being a major character in that story for the rest of its pages.


	9. Chapter 9: Preparations

**Chapter 9: Preparations**

October rolled in with a chilled wind and unnatural fog. Harry and Draco's detentions had been put on hold, as both Snape and Pomfrey were kept busy with the sudden spurt of colds that sprouted up and wouldn't seem to die.

Students were more commonly seen with smoke coming from their ears or with a box of tissues under one arm than with a wand in hand. The portraits were gambling, a giant pool placed on the house that would have the fewest out sick by the time the school ran out. So far The Fat Lady was leading with her bet on the Hufflepuffs, who had a total of 20 out.

Ravenclaw closely following Hufflepuff with18 students and Slytherin and Gryffindor tied with 7, though it was an unfair betting system as no Gryffindor or Slytherin, apart from first years, dared face the wrath of either of their heads. The rumor was the teachers had the same pool as the portraits, which explained how they wound groan every time someone didn't show up at class, or passed out in the hallway.

Dante and Draco were taking a close watch on their three Ravenclaws but also on their own. Ron had already suffered through a particularly nasty bought that left him caged up in his four poster bed instead of attending Herbology, as his coughing annoyed the Mandrakes.

Dante was the manifestation of Remus when it came to such things. He was forcing their entire group to eat and fretting his fuzzy little head over every sniff he heard with his supper sensitive ears. It didn't help any that the moon was coming up.

Draco kept a cooler head but on the inside he was just as frantic. Despite their overall worry for the group, Harry knew most of the worry was focused on him. With his crap immune system and previous breakdown, he wasn't surprised when they tried to dissuade him from taking part in Quidditch practices.

He ignored them like always, even went out on the moon with Draco and Dante despite the raindrops the size of bullets that pelted the castle nonstop since the beginning of the month. He was quite pleased with himself when he was still up and running late into the month.

Fred and George had been floored with the bug and had been unable to raise spirits with their pranks so Draco, Harry and Dante took it into their hands. However, Dante had dropped out of the count, now recuperating from the last moon in which he had tried to gnaw off his back leg, a few days before Halloween. So it was with a slight air of dread that Harry trudged into the school after a particularly dismal practice, soaked to the bone, knowing he had to pull his prank that night, when all he really wanted to do was sleep. But they had been planning for weeks and were not about to stop because they were tired.

There'd be plenty of time to sleep later.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

Harry was dragging himself through the halls, late on Saturday night dripping water and mud all over the floor. Having noticed this, Harry quickly cast a charm to clean the mud and grime from where he stepped as he walked along.

He was heaving up the final steps to the Common Room when he saw Nearly Headless Nick floating, lonely and dead as per usual but something was off about him.

"Hello Nick." Harry sighed, deciding that if misery loved company so damned much, why the hell would you go at it alone when you could suffer with a friend?

"Hello Harry." The ghost sighed back. "Haven't caught this bug yet I see. Lucky one, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't say that just yet." Harry chuckled.

"Shame." Nick smiled. "Gryffindor was just about to win. They ran out of Pepper-up this morning. Slytherin had three that sloshed up there this morning. But with you down it's all tied up again."

Harry cracked a half smile.

"So, you loose something to the Bloody Baron or what? You seem down."

"It's just this Headless Hunt."

"Oh, were you rejected again? What is the matter with people these days? Honestly, no sharp axe blades anywhere to be found."

The joke was enough to get a smile from the ghost.

"Honestly Nick, I don't see why you don't just make a new club, like Humorous Deaths Untied or something." Harry offered slumping down against the hand rail in front of them. The mop at his feet becoming annoying, he banished it and cleaned his robes with a wave of his wand.

"Not a bad idea Potter. I might just have to introduce the idea at the Death Day Party."

Harry smiled.

"Happy Death Day Nick."

"Why thank you my lad. Would you…no…silly me."

"What?" Harry asked with obligation despite his dew sense of dread.

"Would you honor me by attending?"

Harry smile dropped.

"Sorry Nick, I have other Death Day Parties to attend."

"Ah, my apologies young Potter. I keep forgetting you honor your parents. Tis a good thing though, many forget to celebrate the people who have passed, even if they're not completely gone."

Harry sighed. "Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better."

Nick smiled a small smile. "Just be sure to remember that they loved you while they were around, and they wouldn't want you running yourself into the ground wishing they were around. Take care of yourself Harry. And don't let the Slytherins win the next game, I have to reclaim my father's ruff or the Bloody Barron will keep parading around in it like he's some peacock. Really, wearing my family's heirloom on his rear instead of round his neck."

Harry laughed and waved Nick off before heading in the other direction to find Draco.

"Harry!" Draco flagged him down excitedly brandishing an arm full of coconuts. "Ready?" he asked brightly, his wand in hand and a twinkle in his eyes Harry hadn't seen since his detention with Lockhart.

"Yeah." He smiled, sliding down the banister of the marble stairs landing with both feet running. The two smiled, forgetting everything other than the task at hand.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

Harry looked down at his work with a content sigh. Sniffing he rubbed his sleeve under his nose and stood up with a crack of joints. He sighed a short sigh before he returned to using his mouth for breathing, being unable to do so through his nose. He trudged through the empty school, perfectly content with himself. If it weren't for his shuffling steps and his open mouth, he would look very at peace with the world, a major improvement from the half dead and jumpy looks he had been sporting the last few days.

He pulled himself into bed after checking to make sure Draco was in his. Neville and Ron had wanted to help but Ron was buried under makeup work and Neville was hijacked by Professor Sprout to help with the Mandrakes. All the boys were sleeping soundly in their beds, even Dante had been returned, but it wasn't normal. There was a chill that had nothing to do with the resent weather that hung over their group.

Harry eased himself into the icy sheets. After another hour of tossing and moving to create friction beneath the blankets, Harry got out, bringing his pillow with him forlornly. He was about to climb into Draco's bed when he felt the same chilling aura. He looked down at the blonde, the way he now filled the small bed when before there was plenty of room for two, but that wasn't what stopped him.

What brought him to such a halt was when he was tempted to reach down and stroke the blonde's hair from his eyes. He wanted to wake him, just to see the sleepy-eyed look of joy on his face, as if the boy had never seen Harry before. The thoughts that ran through his head scared him, so much so he left the dorm all together. He fled the Gryffindor Common room, moving too fast for any of the patrolling teachers to see him.

He fled for the only place he knew. The Shrieking Shack. The black patch in his mind's eye was growing, pulsing like a heart as he raced for sanctuary. He never ran from a fight, but he always ran from a plausible one.

Setting his pillow on the floor Harry quickly took a meditative stance on it and closed his mind to everything but his animagus form. He needed to open a new form, if only because it would keep his mind occupied. He shut down the rest of his mind, closing each window on a memory one by one.

He slowly entered his mind, keeping track off his essence so as not to loose himself within his mind. His breathing slowed, his heart sent silent vibration through his body, his mind reeling around the image of a red-brown hawk with brilliant gold eyes. They were in midair, floating on a silent wind, kept up by a powerful, unending, updraft. But no matter how he approached it, he couldn't get inside the image.

Then something on the ground caught his eye. He began to drop farther and farther from the Hawk. He reached out to grab it but his attention was pulled back to the thing in the long grass.

_**Let me rip you…Let me crush you…Let me feast off you…Let me hold you… Let me be you…Let me out.**_

Harry scrambled away from the long grass, eyes shut tight as if to keep the thing from his thoughts. But he continued to drift down towards it.

_**Let me help you…Let me save you…Let me take over you…**_

Harry reached out with his hands to grab the long tendril of his mind that would lead him out of the trace.

_**Come now…You know you want too…You have for years…Many long painful years…You want revenge, redemption…You want to take them, all of them…Let me help.**_

A long tail reached out of the grass rapping around Harry's leg, pulling him down. Windows within his mind jumped open as if on springs. Images flooded his mind.

"_Uncle?"_

"_Toast racks do not talk Boy!"_

"_Please Uncle. It hurts! Please stop."_

"_I will stop when your freakishness stops, Boy. You think I like this? Ha! But you must be taught right! No one will stand for your freakiness. You're lucky your aunt and I are kind and forgiving. Say thank you Boy!"_

"_Thank you Uncle Vernon. Thank you Aunt Petunia." Harry's arms wobbled as his Uncle shifted his weight in the big chair, his boots digging into Harry's bareback._

"_Don't twitch Boy!" His Uncle gave his bare stomach a whack with the riding crop his aunt had materialized from God knows where. Harry stood stalk still, biting his lip till the healed cuts bled._

"_You'll spill my brandy." His uncle lifted the glass from his back. "Sorry Uncle Vernon." Harry apologized._

"_You will learn Boy. You're only five after all. We have plenty of time to fix you."_

Harry wrenched from the thing's tail. He shot out of the state of meditation with a violent shout that roused him not only from the state but from his mind as well. He found himself sprawled out in the early rays of light in the middle of the Shrieking Shack floor. He was shaking, not only from the fright but from the cold. There was frost on the windows that had not been there the night before. Harry shuddered and went to rub his arms, to warm himself, when his hand connected with his arms to feel scales coating his arms.

Harry flipped. He wrenched backwards, raking his nails over the scales only to wear his nails down to the flesh. He took deep breaths trying to calm himself, avoiding eye contact with his own arms at all costs. Collecting himself, he picked up the pillow and hurried outside to where Draco would met him for warm ups if he wasn't already there.

He pulled the sleeves of his pajamas down over his arms before transfiguring them into a long-sleeved t-shirt and sweat pants. Draco was coming just as he slumped down onto a log, his magical stores emptied by now.

"Harry! Why didn't you wake me up?" He asked sitting beside the teen looking out at the sunrise that Harry was pretending to watch.

"I had to…do some thinking." Harry panted, slowly collapsing on himself.

"Harry? Are you okay?" Draco shot up to catch him but Harry wrenched away.

"I'm fine." He unconsciously rubbed his arms, the scales cutting into the fabric of his shirt, ripping it. Harry quickly cupped a hand over it.

"Are you sure? You look really pale. And you're shaking! That's it Mr. Potter. March yourself up stairs now! We can't have you getting worse. Not when everyone's about to come back."

"But Eva's here!" Harry protested, knowing that if he had any chance of living to see Halloween it would only be acting like nothing had happened, which meant fighting every order that was best for himself. "She can teach herself. We don't really even know her style." Draco said making another lunge at Harry, trying to get him to move. Harry easily dodged.

"But it looks like she's brought Ginny this time."

"I'll take care of Ginny." Draco lunged again. This time Harry faltered and Draco almost touched him. The heat that radiated off his skin seared Harry, as if he was back under his Uncle's boots, hot food burning his back, a cigar teetering in the ash tray, just millimeters from his skin, the riding crop in his peripheral vision.

Harry yanked away. Draco stared. Eva looked on sadly.

"Eva?" Ginny flounced down next to her, having been walking on a log before hand.

"Sorry Gin. I was distracted." She looked back to Luna was lagging behind.

"What's the matter Eva?" Ginny asked, removing her shoes to mimic her friend's appearance.

Eva pointed out at her family. "Harry's acting weird again. I don't see why he and Draco just sit down and have a good long talk." She sighed, plopping down on a log.

"He's so…out there now-a-days. He used to tell me what happened to him. He used to share everything with me. I used to think he was my knight in shaking amour you know." She laughed her angelic laugh. Ginny smiled, giving a feeble laugh in response. Her friend was aching, her whole family was aching.

"He was only started getting strong two summers ago. He used to hate going anywhere public." Eva sighed. "He used to be scared to come out of his bedroom. Hated Daddy, hated Mummy, and wanted nothing to do with any of us. Didn't care that Uncle Sirius escaped jail for him, didn't care that Aunt Cissy was risking her life by taking him in, he didn't even care that he was hurt. Just cared about getting out." She looked to Ginny with mild surprise.

"What have you done to me?" She laughed. "One minute and I'm spilling all my secrets. You had the same effect a week ago. Prying into my business and learnin' all my privet thoughts about the newspaper and the people I thought it was." She looked back to Harry who was now sprinting up the length of the yard to the castle.

"Never Harry though, never Harry. He could hold his secret through mind probing and torture to the very end, even if it wasn't important. But sit him down, face him with the truth, maybe a trinket or two of memory and he would spill with the right prodding." Eva sighed softly.

"He always knew what to say though. I think that's what won Draco over. No one really understood what being the son of Voldemort's right had man could do to a child." She ignored Ginny's half flinch at the name.

"But Harry knew. He knew things about Draco that the boy's own mother couldn't understand. He could read people from the day we got him. I was only five so I don't remember much about the day, but I remember growing up with him. He seemed so scared around them, the adults I mean." Eva licked her dry lips.

"It was really Draco that got him to come out." She explained sadly. "No matter how much I tried, my enchantments didn't work on him. They did in the end, but when he first came, it was like he could see right through me. He fell in love with Draco from the start. They comforted each other when the nightmares struck. I was just a doll, something beautiful he'd never encounter before, so he was intrigued, but after a while even I couldn't get him out." She smiled.

"Then he warmed up to Dante. Finding out he was special helped, he was so fascinated with the magic behind Dante's birth that his craving for knowledge over ruled his fear of magic."

Ginny gave her a look of utmost shock.

"Oh yes. Harry was scared of magic for a long time." Eva said sadly. "Now one, not even I know much about what happened to Harry to give him these two different personalities, just know Gin, he's either hard as rock, or fragile like glass. The smallest thing could push him over the edge but the lightest touch can bring him back."

She stood up. "But enough chattering. If we want to get to breakfast, we need to hurry with our lesson, now we've spent so much time chattering. Take your stance Luna. Ginny, mirror her."

Draco watched from afar, making sure Eva could handle the two before heading back to the castle. He founder Hermione sitting with Dante in front of the fireplace, both taking advantage of the Sunday to get future homework done, though by the looks of it, very little homework had been attempted.

"Did you see Harry come up here?" Draco asked his pack mate, trying not to let worry trickle into his voice.

"Yeah, he's taking a shower. Neville's watching the door but I'm sure he'd let you in." Dante nodded to the stairs with a look that screamed "buzz off be for I bit you".

Draco smiled knowingly then took the stairs two at a time to avoid the book that came hurtling towards him. He smiled as he went up the stairs. Teasing Dante was the best medicine for anything. He looked up a few more passes to where Neville sat back against the door, a book in his hand.

The boy's training had done much for his figure. Muscles were building on his arms, and his thin stomach was beginning to show abs. If he continued, maybe got a good hair cut, he would not be much different from Harry…despite the fact that he was tall.

"Nev, I need to talk to Harry." Draco said going for the door handle.

"Sorry Dray, he said absolutely no one." Neville replied holding a hand out to stop his friend.

"But he needs to see me." Draco countered. Heaven help this boy if he was going to try and stop Draco from seeing Harry.

"Look Draco, I know I can't take you in a fight yet. But please, he's finally starting to relax, you should have seen how strung out he was when he got back."

"Neville, I appreciate this kind of loyalty, but if you don't move, I'll move you my self."

Draco opened the door with a little tug that unbalanced Neville. "You really need to work on your casual stances some more." He put out as a peace offering.

"Thanks" Neville laughed. "Kinda got that." Draco smiled then walked into the bathroom.

Harry was in the farthest shower, steam billowing out of the curtain like smoke from a chimney. Draco walked over and sat down on the bench. He could hear a light pant come from inside the shower and then groaned.

"You should really have told us." Draco whispered. "We're not mad at you. It's nothing that you can help."

No response.

"Really Harry. You're being so foolish right now. Let me help you."

"No." Was the whispered response.

"Why not?" Draco implored, a little more heatedly.

"They're my secrets." Harry replied, sticking his head out from behind the curtain. "You're my family Draco. I don't see why you've let this go until today. Hand me that towel."

Draco took the towel and walked it over to Harry instead of handing it to him. Harry drew father back into the shower.

"Because it's never bothered you like this before. Sometimes just the act of admitting a painful secret relieves some of the pain."

"Not this time Draco. Please, I'm fighting something inside myself. It's nothing any battle technique can help. It's nothing a sword or a gun can solve. It has to be me and me alone! You can't do anything so stop trying!"

He withdrew completely into the shower.

"Why can't I help? You're always being such a loner! I though we had gotten past this! Like the lying, we got past that."

"PEOPLE THINK I'VE STOPPED LYING!" Harry roared. "THE TRUTH IS I'VE JUST GOTTEN BETTER AT IT!" He was shaking. He had burst from the shower, scales gleaming with blood and water, a towel tied around his waist. "I LIVE A LIE DRACO! A BLOODY LIE! I'm shrouded in secrets! I'm packing every where I go, just in case that secret needs to be defended! I'm running from shadow to shadow to protect myself and other people. I thought it was just from the people who want me dead, but the truth is, there is something inside of me, lingering on from that time, and it wants out! It wants to hurt everyone I know! I'm not about to let that happen again." He was shaking, tears threatening in his wavering voice.

"Not to you!" He cried. He hung his head, arms circling around himself, scales gleaming with water droplets. "Not to you." He whispered.

Draco moved so fast Harry's blurred vision couldn't catch up to him. His arms wrapped around Harry's shoulders, elbows forcing Harry into the embrace. "We love every part of you Harry. If something is eating away at you from the inside, we want to help you no matter what it will do to use because we love you!" Draco was crying, the hot tears burning Harry like holy water on a demon.

He didn't deserve Draco's tears. But, Draco didn't deserve the pain Harry had forced on him either. So it was with trembling hands that Harry raised his scaled arms up to his brother, his friend, his enemy, his bed mate and knew that it was going to be okay.

"I'm so sorry Dray. I didn't want any body to get hurt because of me." Harry coughed, fighting back his tears. "I didn't want you to see me like this." He wanted to hug Draco tighter but was worried about further tainting him with his blood.

"You are beautiful no matter what you are going through Harry. I love you, nothing can stop that."

The dark patch in the back off his mind was reseeding; hissing away like a vampire would react to light, so Harry hugged tighter. He dropped his head onto Draco's shoulder and quietly eased his arms into a more relaxed position. Draco's hand had drifted up to his head and was stroking it gently. Soon, the stiffness was worked out of the boy's shoulders, the scales of no importance, resting in Draco's arms, dozing softly.

Draco smiled sadly down at him and wondered exactly what he was going to do with the self-reliant prick he now held. He looked at the scales surprised to see their thickness and color, a pure emerald green. He ran a finger over them to find they were completely devoid of feeling, nether heat nor the cool of the seasons. Water dripped off, unable to slip through the plates.

"So it's come to this." Draco whispered. "You're actually cloaking yourself in armor."


	10. Chapter 10: Deathday Delirium

**Chapter 10: Deathday Delirium **

Harry raced Draco down the stairs and around the corner, running on air to keep from making a sound. Dante was swiftly coming up behind us, making a tight loop over the ceiling in order to get an edge on them. Harry pulls out into the front and takes the banister at a run, sliding down it's marble polish with ease.

The dropped to the ground before the Great Hall, all three smiling evilly at one another, as Harry and Draco pulled packs of their back. They had a grand total of 187 coconuts and had drawn a variety off odd faces over an incision made for the mouth. Now he was charming them before he and Draco set them up in the Great Hall.

Ginning, Harry took another look at his charts. He really had to invent a new Marauders Map. These paper copies were getting old. Carefully he transformed into Firefly and cried the sack of coconuts to the Great Hall. Harry handed them off to Draco and Dante who started setting them out on rafters. Harry nodded and flew off, his work not in the Great Hall.

He flew up around the school wandlessly adding his two bits to the prank. It would be the biggest since the Marauders. He soared through the sweeping halls, pleasantly aware of the lack of a voice teasing the back of his mind. Everything was going to be fine.

The next morning Draco, Dante and Harry rolled out of bed, ready to great a prank filled morning. They moved to the Great Hall in a huddled mass, Harry pointing out his prank spaces so they wouldn't get cared away. The school's first surprise was when a fourth year stepped on a tile Harry had Bobbie trapped. Suddenly he was gone. Everyone stopped dead. Harry and Draco high-fived and strolled into the Great Hall proudly.

As people filled the hall, Harry and Draco moved into position opposite each other. Dante seated himself beside Hermione, easily keeping her attention off the other two. Ron and Neville were watching the teachers, hopping to keep them none the wiser. They had been on their toes since the theme song incident. Even now they were looking at their food with varying degrees of uncertainty.

Harry and Dante nodded at each other, Harry nudged Draco underneath the table and the three pointed their wands at the ceiling. Quietly they sent their activation spell at the 187 coconuts which promptly fell from the ceiling, bouncing on strings that tied them to the rafters like budgie jumpers.

It looked like they were floating in midair. Just as they had gained everyone's attention, they began to dance. Swinging back and forth, bouncing on their strings the different mouths cracked open and a chorus of "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts" began. The larger of them sung a deep base while the smaller sung a high soprano. They sung in perfect harmony through the whole song. When they finished the second versus, Dumbledore suddenly jumped onto the table and sang a rousing rendition, with the dancing coconuts as his background singers.

**(A.N: Dumbledore, **_**The coconuts) **_

**I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts**

_**De dilly de**_

**There they are a standing in a row**

_**Bum bum bum**_

**Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head**

_**Bum bum bum**_

**Give them a twist, a flick of the wrist, that's what the show man said!**

_**Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!**_

**I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts. **

The teachers jumped on top of the table, with exception of Hagrid who just moved to the front, and started doing a sort of jig, everyone singing. By now the hall was in fits of laughter, people flopping over the tables, clutching their sides, tears pouring down the sides of their faces as the teachers ended with jazz hands, one leg extended, leaning back, large smile spread over their faces.

Harry and Draco where flopped over top of each other, laughing as hard as the others, whipping tears from their eyes as they smiled. After a while Harry's laugh turned into a cough but he was quick to brush off Draco's worried looks. It was bad enough scales still covered most of his body.

After breakfast the second year that had disappeared before breakfast, showed up claming to have been taken to some room in the seventh floor corridor. After that people all over the school were being transported to different sections of the school, even teachers, pushing classes back as people kept showing up late and even teachers were forced to race all over creation to get to classes.

The next problem came in the form of the door knobs. After lunch, the stones went dead but the door knobs came to life. As someone reach out to grasp it, it would move, every time someone tried to grab them they would slip out of reach and wait for the next attempt to grab it. It took eight or nine guys to grab the knob and even then they were sometimes fakes or slid through the door taking that hand with it.

The charm on Snape made him act completely out of character. Whenever he would say an insult, instead a compliment would come out. Whenever he tried to sneer at someone, or smirk, it came out as a smile or a laugh. Whenever he tried to take points from someone, instead he gave points. He tried the opposite, give points, or give a compliment, but it backfired on him.

Instead of giving the child five points and hoping that it would take away, instead it doubled the points given. And when he tried to give a compliment instead his compliments got more and more flattering. Whenever he tried to just wipe his face blank of all emotion, instead he began to laugh hysterically.

Dante's prank on Mrs. Norris was quite funny to the students, though not to Mrs. Norris or the caretaker. Dante had put some kind of spell on Mrs. Norris to attract male cats to her. All day cats were running up to her, and practically stalking her. Mrs. Norris was running around all day, trying to avoid cats that were all trying to get her attention at once.

That day's atmosphere was the complete and total opposite of the one that fell over the school on Halloween.

Harry woke that morning after a rough night of tossing and turning, dreams plaguing his sleep, to find himself soaked in sweat. He was swimming in his sheets, which took him seven minutes to untangle. When he finally managed to sit up his head was swimming, the dorm around him spinning like a top. He groaned and flopped out of bed, coated in the sweat. What was worse was when he realized the salty sweat had crusted in the scales that were still on his arms, chest and back.

He heaved himself up and into the bathroom where he lay himself under the cold pelt of the shower head. When he woke up, someone was propping him up, scrubbing the grim from under his scale plates. He looked blearily over his shoulder to see Draco. The boy had on a pair of boxer shorts but his chest was bare, water dotting his chest like crystals, his laired hair dark with the water it retained.

Harry noticed that he was also clad in boxers though he never remembered putting them on, but as he thought about it he never remembered taking them off. He looked up, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly.

"Hey" Draco whispered, righting him a bit more. "How you feeling?"

Harry mouthed at him like a guppy. Draco smiled sadly. "You have a fever. Luckily you're trained in self-preservation." Draco pulled Harry closer to him. Harry naturally went for his warmth, glade that Draco had been the one to find him. He was so embraced that whatever on him wasn't flushed from fever, suddenly disappeared into the reddish tinge.

"Hey now… none of that." Draco smiled, pushing Harry's wet bangs from his forehead. "It's not your fault nor can you help what happens. Now, I'm going to pick you up and take you back to your bed. You'll stay there for the rest of the day got it?!"

Harry nodded mutely.

Draco smiled. "Good. I'll come see you during lunch." With flexing muscles Draco's strong arms shifted under Harry's body, cradling his limp forming a padding of thick physical strength. Harry grasped limply at the boy's neck, trying to hold himself as dignifiedly as he could in the arms of another man. Draco hitched him up in his arms and eased the bathroom door open.

"It's breakfast time. No one is around to see you." He whispered, noting the way Harry's fever glazed eyes darted back and forth looking for invisible people, his ears straining to hear footsteps that wouldn't come. Harry relaxed becoming like jelly in the man's arms. He was slowly loosing his grip on reality, sinking farther and farther into dreams he never wanted to have again. In a despite attempt to remain conscious, he clawed at the air above him as he was lowered into a trap of warm bed linens.

The effort was for not, and he sank resignedly into a symphony of eerie dreams accompanied by a strange dance of twitching shivers and painful thrashing.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

_It was light out. He knew because their was a small ray of light coming from the slight under the pantry door, which he knew to be directly across from the large sliding glass door in the living room. _

_He knew that it was late in the morning because the stomach wrenching smell of fat grease in the frying pan wafted towards him through ever opening in the door. He knew that he had twenty-seven more days to go because he had scratched the day markers into the back of the pantry behind the beans that his aunt never used because they gave Dudley gas, a feat he didn't need help with._

_He knew that his uncle would be coming for him soon because he always came after his morning's coffee which came after his morning paper. By the beep of the machine, the coffee was done. He knew that he didn't have much time left. He knew that he had endless stretches of time before him. He knew that time was never on his side. _

_He knew, not un like a child knows the smell of his least favorite food, or the look his grandmother gets when she's about to pinch his checks, or the call of a bully from the school yard window, waiting for the pounding to begin. It was with ten times more horrifying clarity that Harry knew his uncle's greedy, pudgy, maniacal smile as he opened the door, a riding crop in hand, chains around his neck. _

"_Come along then boy. I've been waiting all morning for this. And I need some time to change my shirt before work if you get any blood on it."_

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

_Harry sat atop the roof of the school building, watching Dudley and his gang run off to get the Dean. He didn't care. He was already in deep water, what more could be done? His uncle didn't know where his books were, and he didn't know that Harry could escape into those books when he was being flogged or burned with the iron. His uncle didn't know that every time he approached Harry with a letter opening or the fire poker, he could simply pull out of his body and drift off into the pages of his texts and learn how to write a message for help in Russian. _

_He didn't know that Harry could simply pull out of that small hell hole that had been created for him and cast himself into some fictitious world where orphaned boys were saved by family just when times seemed at their worst. He could hid in a place where his uncles abusive words, his aunt's neglect, his cosine's violence, were all barred outside the gate of a world where Harry could sit at the side of family._

_He escaped now into the books, filling his mind with the first of the defense books he had recently picked up with the money he earned on the side. He never realized he had been removed from the roof or that he had left the school or even that he was suddenly under the belt of his uncle, just knew that he was quickly learning "Catching Raindrops" and would soon be able to break a man's arm just by twisting out of his grasp._

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

_The hills were alive with fire. Everywhere he turned there was fire. No matter were he went or what he did to escape, there was fire. Suddenly there was a burly man with army suits. He held a gun, which he pushed to Harry's temple. As if on autopilot, Harry rapped his arms around the gunman's hand and snapped it making him drop the gun. Dodging and rolling, Harry fired off six rounds hitting the people in the shadow of the fire. Hiding behind the skeletal of what had once been a stair case Harry took aim back flipped of the stairs' remains, fired hitting the last man square in the for head before landing on the other side of the fiery ring._

_As he spotted his chance he dove out of the ring and heard a gun go off. He felt something penetrate his side, digging deep into the flesh. Falling out of his dive Harry hit the ground with a crack telling him that his arm was dislocated. He rolled away from the sniper and hid behind a tree, transferring his gun to his left hand as his right was unusable. Nearly passing out from pain, Harry looked over his shoulder to where the crunch of a twig alerted him to someone's presence. They were getting closer. Softly letting the gun come to rest against his pounding chest, Harry sighed silently letting the cool metal reassure his racing heart._

_Another twig snapped. Harry shimmed up the tree, still soundless. He crept around the side to get a better view of the person behind him. But it wasn't a person. It was a stag…a gleaming white stage with tall antlers._

"_Dad?"_

_Then he heard it, the ominous click of the safety on a gun being release filling the forest, echoing in his mind. The shot rang out before Harry could have imagined. He saw the sniper and he saw the bullet. He saw his father and he felt his feet moving on their own accord. He felt himself spring into the air, throwing his body in front of the stage. He felt the bullet enter his chest. He felt his soul leave his body before his body hit the ground. Every single soul collected in his mind went free. To hell or to heaven it didn't matter, they were free._

_Harry watched his father change back. He watched the man pull the bullet from Harry's chest, letting the boy's healing magics work their wonders. He waited for Harry's soul to return to his body like it had so many times before. But something was wrong. Harry's soul wasn't coming back as quickly as it had every other time._

"_Harry?" Sirius whispered desperately trying to rouse the boy._

"_Son?"_

_Still nothing._

"_Harry come on! It's all over. He's gone Harry you killed him! HARRY! HARRY!" Painful sobs racked his frame. He was shaking violently, Harry's motionless body suddenly shuddering in his arms._

"_HARRY!" Sirius cried throwing his head back, screaming to the heavens._

_Harry James Potter was dead, at the hands of a muggle._

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

Harry woke with a violate jerk that launched him out of his fevered dreams and into the arms of the strong blonde at the end of his bed. Shivering like an Azkaban prisoner, Harry clung to Draco. The last dream had not been a memory. He hoped that all it had been was a fevered dream, but his magic whipped out from his control, licking the minds of his friends, gathered around his bed.

He was painting like a dog out side in the summer's heat, sweat soaking his white t-shirt to a see-through second skin. He felt it being stripped away from his body before he was gently picked up and moved to the bed beside him. He clutched at the arms whimpering, not wanting to be sucked back into the dreams.

He wanted to stay in the strong arms off the unknown person before him. He wanted to see the face behind the sheen of sweat that covered his eyes. He wanted to know who was there for him, that he wasn't on his own any more. He had to settle for a firm hand on his leg as he was pulled back into darkness by the cold covers of the clean bed.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

"_Harry?"_

_Harry spun around, Mr. Fluff on his shoulder as he burped the beast after it's serving of holiday fruitcake, for the timid Miss. Figg._

"_My boy, where did you get that bruise?" She pointed to the long bruises around his neck. He had tried to cover them up with a scarf but the house had been warm that Christmas and the cats had insisted on choking him with it so long as he wore it while they played._

"_Oh, I got in another fight Miss. Figg." His uncle had set him up with readied made excuses so that if he was ever asked about the wounds when at work for the neighbors, he didn't have to think up elaborate stories._

"_Was the boy older then you?" She asked, pretending to be generally interested._

"_Much." Harry replied sadly then collected himself. _

"_Would you like some tea Harry?"_

"_Not unless you would like some Miss."_

"_Let's have some then." She followed Harry into the kitchen where she supervised his tea making. She was standing over them, a bottle in hand when Harry returned with the milk. He didn't ask questions. He had learned better when he was three. He was a fast learner. She sipped his tea quietly, allowing the Cat Lady the pleasure of his obedience._

_She suddenly reached over, after the tea was gone, and pulled up his shirt to see the black belt with its glistening 'V' buckle._

"_What is this used for Harry?"_

_He wanted too look at her like she was crazy, to respond with "for holding up pants" but his mouth opened of his own accord and words he had been trained all of his life to respond only to Uncle Vernon, slipped out like she had called them from the darkest place in his soul._

"_It's used for whipping, when I don't get all my chores done, or I think about telling anyone about my beatings. It's used by holding the leather part and slamming the buckle down onto my back, through a T-shirt if Uncle Vernon's too tired to rip it off but usually he's not. If I scream the number of hits is doubled, if I move it's tripled."_

_She looked at him with pity then sent him to the store with five dollars to pick up bread._

_That night his Uncle beat him with the belt, drawing out the answer to the very question he had been asked that morning. He practically made Harry sing the response. But it wasn't enough. He hit Harry over the back of the head with his now empty whisky bottle before collapsing into his chair so that his wife could haul Harry into the cupboard._

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

"_BOY!"_

_Harry ran up the stairs at full tilt, ignoring the splitting pain in his leg and arm as he clung desperately to the limb as it swung uselessly from its socket. He dashed into Dudley's bedroom to hide from his Uncle. He didn't want to think about what the man was going to do to him. He didn't want to do anything but get away._

"_HARRY FUCKING POTTER!" He heard his uncle roar. Before he could reach the door he felt pain unlike anything before in his leg. He toppled to the ground and turned around to find that his uncle had plunged a knife into the back of his leg and pulled._

"_YOU WILL NOT CAUSE MY FAMILY ANY MORE PROBLEMS! YOU ARE A MENUS AND A DEVIL! YOU WHILE DIE! ONLY THEN WILL MY FAMILY BE FREE!"_

_Harry rolled away as the knife tried to catch his eye, leaving only a scratch over his eyelid. Another scar._

_Harry got away but barely. He made it into his room by rolling away and using his Uncle's weight against him, just as he had learned to do in his book. The man couldn't get up as fast as Harry could. Harry slammed the door shut and pulled the dresser in front of it. He collapsed onto the bed and cried out in pain. He passed out. When he next woke up, his leg had been stitched up and his damaged eye heal with only the nasty scar over it to imply the cut had been there._

_That when he heard it. A tempting call that heralded him into the night. It was unfamiliar, but tantalizing in every way. It filled his mind and stole his senses away from him._

Harry sat up, not fully aware of the change from sleep to wakefulness. He tipped out of the bed and moved down the common room stairs, answering the call with one of his own.

_**Yes…Blood for the young one…You must feed on the liquor of life or be tortured by the lust for it…Come young blood…Follow me…….**_

Harry nodded, ear pressed against the wall both to hear the voice and to keep himself steady on his shaky legs. He pulled himself along what he thought to be rivers of molten lava. What was he doing? He stopped. This wasn't him. This was the creature within him. This was what he had been fighting for so long. If he gave in, what would Draco think? Would he be able to live with himself? What had he been thinking, diving into this head first without fully understanding its depths?

_**Live for today… Because you might not make it to tomorrow….Don't fret over the past… it's done and gone…**_

Harry nodded, all since of reasoning left behind, lifting himself up the jungle wall, rock climbing to the temple wall. He saw the idle, the river of liquid life, and felt his mouth water. He saw a priestess, flaming red hair flowing about her black robes as she scrawled the message across the wall behind where the idle sat. She backed away, respecting his hunger, her face hidden in shadows.

He felt fangs rip from his mouth at a lightning fast speed. His hands braced himself against the bloody wall which he slowly slid down, hands trailing the bloody liquid to his mouth. But the instant he brought it to his lips, it smoldered and turned to ash. A cry of anguish escaped his lips.

_**Come to me young blood…I will feed you.**_

Harry picked himself up, finding strength in his need for the feed the creature offered. He was passing down the river, blood all around him, bodies piled up on the shore, the red haired priestess sitting on the banks, hiding in a tangle of vines. He continued on down the shore to where a giant cave was slowly opening, a pure white oracle floating above him, a sad look on her face as she floated over the entrance. He looked into it to see bright yellow eyes gleaming out at him.

His legs gave out, he dropped to the floor motionless, his mind went blank and the distant call became nothing more than a memory. In a last dispirit attempt on the part of his magic, a part that hadn't been used since the seven year old Harry had called so desperately to Sirius that the man had broken out of the Wizard Prison to get to him, he called for his mate, he called to his brother, he called to his father, his alpha and his family.

He called to his sister, his brothers, and his friends, but the call was ended premature, still seven heads shot up in the Great Hall feast and soon all seven bodies were dashing out the door, the same instinct in their minds. The eighth joined them about midway, coming out from a bathroom looking slightly confused but set on the same goals as the others.

Far away, a distressed werewolf and his mate were battling against family to leave the compound, tears streaking down their cheeks as they strained against the wards.

"They're killing him!" Sirius cried desperately. "He's dieing! It's the same call he sent me five years ago! Let me go to him!"

"He wouldn't want you dead!" Regulus argued. "Whatever happened, Dante and Draco can handle it." Grunting against his brother's weight Regulus gave up being nice and pulled him forward, punching him in the gut so as to stun the man while his cousin regrettable did the same to the man's mate.

"What the hell are you doing Harry?" Regulus wondered holding his brother close.

**AN: UPDATE! WHOOT!**

**Okay, so it's been some time and I apologize for that. I'm writing some off side stories that demeaned my attention and their plot lines just wouldn't let me go. Curse you Plot Bunnies! Anywho, I'll try not to get off task any more. BIG THANKS TO ALL REVIEWERS!**


	11. Chapter 11:Quidditch and Heirs Apparent

Family Types: Year 2

**Chapter 11: Quidditch and Heirs Apparent **

When Harry came too, he was sprawled out on the bed in an increasingly familiar room. He grumbled and sat up quickly ignoring the buzzing that filled his ears and the black spots that swam before his eyes. He growled and threw his feet over the side of the bed and hauled himself out leaving a dummy version of him charmed to react as he might to the Matron's poking and prodding.

His legs were shaky but he was quick to stabilize. His internal rhythm was off so that his breath was irregular but he was quick to even it out. Leaving the rooms he snuck down through the apparently empty school to the Gryffindor Common Room. Giving the surprised Fat Lady the password he slipped inside and found it empty.

"Where the Hell is everyone?" Harry grouched. He turned to go investigate the dorms when he spotted the calendar on the notice board.

"AH! QUIDDITCH MATCH!" Harry screamed racing out of the dorm, his broom sailing behind him. Midway through sliding down the banister Harry leapt onto the broom and flew out of the school to the pitch. He had been out for two days. It was alarming, normally his self preservation training would have had him up early the morning after he passed out, having trained himself to do so that his uncle wouldn't have more reason to beat him.

He sailed out to the pitch in time to catch his team who were hurriedly leaving the locker rooms after Wood's speech had run over making Lee Jordan announce the Slytherin team first. Harry spotted a grungy seventh year, burly but skinny clutching one of the better school brooms. Harry took careful aim and stunned him so that he fell without a word.

Normally he wouldn't have resorted to magic, would have tried to talk to the boy, get his place back, but he wasn't feeling very negotiable at the moment and took some satisfaction in the lump's fall to the ground. Something deep within him told the boy it was his fault for think he could replace Harry and for once Harry agreed with it.

Lee Jordan was announcing the Gryffindor team as Harry quickly charmed his hospital pajamas into Quidditch robes. He took up his Nimbus Two-Thousand again and prepared to soar out of the locker rooms.

"And taking over for the felled Harry Potter is……." Harry came zooming out. "Harry Potter?" Lee's question was mimicked by all but five students that were too dumb struck to speak, their mouths hanging open in disbelief. The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs that had been unaware of the severity of Harry's condition jumped to their feet cheering loudly for their resurrected hero as the teachers, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Dante, Neville, Ginny, Luna and Eva all started screaming at him, asking him what the Hell he thought he was doing. But their screams were lost to the crowd and the game began.

Instantly everyone noticed a change in the Gryffindor seeker. Instead of his normal defensive stance well away from the Chasers and bludgers, Harry positioned himself directly in the center of the game. He flitted around the court, in and out of danger as if testing the limits of his dodging ability.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!" Dante's call echoed through the field making Harry grin, they thought he was still fevered. Good.

Noticing the change the Slytherin beaters took the chance to line up an expert shot on Harry. They swung hard both at the same bludger and sent it spiraling on a direct path toward Harry. They took in a deep breath, on the verge of screaming as one but before they had released their breath, Harry was gone and the bludger knocked a Slytherin Chaser from his broom. Harry chuckled, a sound that no one could mistake for a cough. He flew off before the rest of the teams could fully register what had just happened.

The game continued, everyone a little leery of the changed player. Harry seemed to back off a bit, pulling up and out of harm's way to take up a hawk's stance over the crowd. He smiled down at them. Ants, so small, so easily crushed. He spotted Balise watching him, gauging the rate he could tease the man at. While the Slytherin's eyes were firmly placed on Harry, the Gryffindor dove, flying a step and sudden path, weaving a bit to keep up the weak pretense.

Balise was on him in seconds, catching onto the glint Fred Weasley's watch was casting on the ground. As soon as he was sure of Balise's crash coarse path into the ground Harry easily pulled up at a ninety degree angle and floated off under the other players, waving lazily at a distort Wood. After a five minute pause that Harry used to look for the snitch and the medi-witch used to replace two of Zabini's teeth, the game continued.

No one could say that it wasn't fun to see how professional Harry was getting. Whispers of excitement escalated to screams of pleasure and a few more vibrant 7th years even had the gal to disrobe. Harry smiled winking at them as he continued to have Zabini bash himself up. Every time the Slytherin adapted to Harry's way, Harry evolved. When Zabini learned not to tail too closely, Harry floated up behind him, scaring him into a goal post or flying under him and suddenly coming up in front of him making him go veering off into another player.

It was such a Slytherin move, Harry was cheered on by Slytherins as much as he was by the others. The only house stunned into silence, as was his own, and he found that he didn't mind too much. He had two sides. It was about time someone else saw the other one.

Gryffindor was up despite the Slytherin's new brooms, mostly because Harry kept running Balise into them. Everyone had decided it would have been quicker and less embracing if the seeker just picked himself up and continued like nothing had happened. That is, it was the philosophy till Balise made his twentieth meeting with the ground and didn't get up until someone shoved a rejuvenating potion down his throat.

"I don't want to see anymore dirty play in this game." Madame Hooch glared, her yellow hawk eyes landing on Harry who looked behind him. "Play has resumed." She sniffed handing the Quffle to the Slytherin's Chaser.

Harry accelerated across the field with Zabini at his heals with a snarl on his face. He got to the end of the pitch then whirled to face the other seeker. The Slytherin boy didn't have time to react to Harry's change in direction before Harry's boot smashed him across the face and threw him to the ground.

A hush fell over the arena and all eyes turned to stare at Harry as he sat calmly on his boom.

"Guess we owe them a penalty shot then," Harry said in an unemotional voice. His face was impassive as he watched Zabini finally get carried off the field.

"Err . . . yes, two shots." Hooch managed to overcome her shock to make the call. It had been the first open show of violence, and thanks to the hush everyone could hear Harry's mutters about tailgaters and personal bubbles and evil thoughts being kept in one's own mind.

Gryffindor was still up, Wood managing to block all the shots Slytherin had won. Harry was on full alert, the new Slytherin Seeker keeping his distance. Harry smiled and lazily flew back to his side of the pitch. His anger was easing away and the full severity of what he had done dawned on him. Before he could fully register the epiphany, Harry spotted a flash of gold. He made his way slowly and picked the snitch out of the air just as a pair of bludgers appeared on his peripheral. One slammed into his arm, braking in clean in two while the other smashed into his spin unseating him as it dislocated his shoulder and followed through its course to slam him into the ground where his wrist dislocated.

Everyone could hear the snaps, see the movement in his wrist stop as the snitch fled his now lax grasp but while even the teachers knew a cry would come to their lips, Harry sad nothing in fact he smiled. And then he was unconscious. He didn't know when Lockhart had picked him up trying to fix his arm before he seat the bones or when his arm turned to rubber, he didn't know when Draco had scooped him up or where he was as he bounced up and down in someone's arms but he could see it happening around him and then it was all memories.

_Harry smiled as Dudley's gang approached. He knew what was about to happen, knew that he could run if he so tried; but he knew that running would only prolong the inevitable, would make it worse when it occurred._

"_Well, look who it is," Dudley said grinning in a fashion Harry guessed was meant to look contemptuous, it served only to make him appear constipated. "If it isn't wee little Potter."_

_Harry's smile widened a bit, as though he were glad to see his pig of a cousin. It served to narrow his eyes to near shut - the eight-year-old couldn't yet make the grin show in the luminescent green pools._

"_Hello Dudley!" said Harry cheerfully. "How are you today?"_

_The cruel amusement that one would never expect to see in a pack of eight-year-olds dimmed slightly. It wasn't enough to stop what they planned to do, Harry knew, but it'd be shorter at least: there was no fun in beating someone who wouldn't resist. It took all the adrenaline out off the chase if the victim wouldn't run and adrenaline was kin to euphoric ecstasy for the bored and fat._

_The scrawny rat-like boy standing beside, hidden behind Dudley's massive girth sneered , at least, Harry thought it was supposed to be a sneer, and said in his squeaky voice, "We're kind of bored, you know, Harry. So we decided to play a game."_

_Harry tilted his head to one side, eyes widened innocently. Game indeed. "Oh really? And I get to play too?" Smile - the teachers were looking this way. Whatever you do, don't wince._

"_Yup," said another boy, Tyron something, if Harry could be bothered to remember correctly. "You get to be the most important player."_

_The teachers had looked away again, too immersed in gossiping to really care what was happening. It didn't matter. Harry was almost completely out of sight, surrounded on all sides by overweight bullies and their hangers-on._

_Harry's smile widened once more, eyes almost completely shut. "Let's play then!"_

_Predictably, Dudley got in the first hit. His pudgy fist landed soundly on Harry's cheek, as a smaller boy pulled away from the force to lessen the impact. It still hurt, but not so much as it would have. He felt someone pulling him up by his arm pits and quickly climbed to his feet. Harry looked up from the ground into his cousin's face, smile never faltering only the opening and closing of his eyes communicating the pain he felt. His breathing became labored as Dudley's friend took a hit each in rapid succession._

_And then they were all on him, and he was twisting and turning and lessening the force of the punches and kicks that landed, as if it were a dance, his movements fluidly mirroring Dudley's gang' smiling all the while as he made the actions look unintentional. He even attempted to laugh every now and then, as if it truly were a game that he was enjoying._

_True to score, Dudley and his gang grew bored with him after about five minutes, and play with someone else, shooting him irritated looks all the while. Harry smiled and let out a chuckle, whipping blood from his lips with the back of his hand. "Really Dudders, I thought Daddy would have taught you better." He chuckled as Dudley kneed him in the forehead, completely missing his nose unlike the boy's father. They stalked away annoyed that their plaything wasn't cooperating._

_Harry wiped some of the blood from his face, and yelled after them, "We'll have to play again sometime!" They would sooner or later, and Harry knew it; but for now, he'd earned himself a short time of peace._

_Scrubbing his face clear of blood and grime, Harry crept over to the teachers and made a show of tripping on the side walk so the rising welts on his forehead and the bruises round his eyes, marked with cuts and now smeared with blood would appear natural. The teachers tutted over the poor clumsy youth and carted him off to the school nurse who dubiously wrapped him up._

Harry's waking was much nicer than he expected it to be. He also seemed to know everything that had been going on around him despite his absence from their world during the time of the occurrences. He snapped his head to the side cracking his neck with a satisfying crunch of bones. Sweat that had beaded on his fevered forehead flew off and created spots on the bed sheets.

_**God damned hospital wing. **_Harry hissed pulling himself up and out of the tangle of bedding that had ensnared his legs during the night.

He padded, without a sound, out of the hospital wing and away from the veil wing. He seemed to float along, unaware of wear he was going and why he was headed there in the first place but knew he wasn't going to sleep anymore and sure as hell wasn't going to stay there all night. He floated along, his mind lost to his body until he stumbled over something.

Looking down Harry was surprised, through his face stayed stony and impassive, as he stared down at the body of Colin Creevey. In the back of his mind he heard a click but he couldn't be bothered. He stood slowly, his body suddenly aching as he raised himself from the floor. He eased the camera out from under the boy's fingers when he felt a light prick of his fingers. But there was no blood on the camera and yet his finger bled.

Harry stuck his finger in his mouth and sucked the crimson liquid from the digit. The effect was instantaneous. He felt his pupils widening and then his jaw unhinge before his mind went black and he was off on a trip like no drug could ever take someone on.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

When Harry came to, he was lying on a black leather couch in a cold tower that he instantly wasn't Gryffindor. The memories of that night crashed into his brain so hard that the pain from his regrowing arm was put off in favor of rubbing his temples. Harry cursed in low hisses as he raised himself from the couch and looked around.

He felt his heart stop when he spotted Pansy Parkenson in front of him staring dumbly at him a camera in hand,

"Um…" Harry dashed away from the couch ignoring how his arm flapped uselessly at his side as he darted from the room.

"Slytherin Common Room? How the bloody hell did I end up there?" Dashing from the dungeons Harry retreated to the Great Hall where he was met with excited cheers and loud applause. He waved and smiled ignoring the stabbing pain in his back. He flopped himself down into the first seat available and was chagrin to see that half the table got up to scoot down the bench towards him.

Draco was on him in a second, hands roaming over his brother checking for injury as Dante slipped his healing arm into a sling.

"What are you thinking? Running from the Hospital two nights in a row?!" Draco fumed, pushing Harry's bangs back to look over his scar and feel his forehead. Harry shoved his hands away with his spar one.

"Really it's bad enough that I have Madam Pomfrey gripping at me for my stays but for her to nag me about your behavior…"Dante complained.

"Really Harry. You should have waited. What was so important that you had to run out on her like that? You could have really damaged yourself." Hermione lectured peeking around Dante's side.

"And with this Chamber business…"Ron added forking eggs into his mouth, never one to let a crisis spoil his appetite.

"Chamber?"

The table looked at him, bits of food showing from a few open mouths.

"That's right you were fevered at the time." Draco smacked himself with the heel of his hand. "The day you were sick, someone petrified Mrs. Noris and left a message written in blood on the wall. It said "The Chamber of Secrets had been opened. Enemies of the heir beware." Draco filled the boy in. "Then so retard decided to add 'I'm coming master' to freak everyone out." His face was set into a look Harry had never seen on his brother's alabaster mask before.

Draco had long since grown out of the habit of hiding emotions behind a steely mask of indifference when he realized that his doing so encouraged Harry to do so, more so then he had been anyways. But still he would greatly belittle his feelings though Harry doubted he was conscious of doing such things.

Now the blonde's face was occupied with a Picasso painting of emotions that Harry had never seen in the youth's vicinity, let alone playing out across his face. He could note one emotion, one that he only knew from seeing on his godfather's face years ago.

The utter terror at knowing there was absolutely nothing to do with the information you had on hand, the wild rush of fear that flooded all concentration and turned a man sloppy, the aggrandized horror at loosing complete control of your most basic magic and body functions in the heat of a moment where you want to do everything, but cant do anything. It was as plain as day, waltzing a cruel tango over the previously smooth face, messing up the defined features with it's robust movements.

Yes, Harry was familiar with the feeling behind the look, even if he had never been allowed to wear it. And to see it on Draco's face after he himself had rattled the quiet confidence that had been fueling his latest endeavors. How badly Harry wanted to go to him. Ease his arms around the boy and simply soak up all his fears. He knew that as a "brother" to the blonde he could have offered some relief but with whatever was acting through his body, he didn't think he wanted to chance it.

He remembered the dread he saw mounting on his friend's face and could only ask "What?"

Looking at each other, all his dinning companions seemed to come to some agreement which Dante would be spokes person for.

"Harry, that night we found you in a girls' bathroom not far from the scene. The reason we found you was because you took hold of our minds, calling for help. The last time you did this was when you were back with the muggles." Dante explained calmly. "You went through all the trouble to hid yourself and then give it all up by calling us? And then tonight, Colin Creevy was found petrified and you were seen nearby."

Harry looked at him questioningly. Draco nudged Ron who pulled a paper out from under the table and handed it over.

"We came in early looking for you mate." He explained apologetically. "Grabbed them all up from the tables before anyone could see."

Harry looked down at the latest issue of Hogwarts Hogwash to see a picture of him leaning over Colin's body filling the front page, the title "Potter Petrifies Pupil" heading the article. According to the blurbs on the front, there was more in-depth research into Potion Babies and their origins as well as a copy of the Malfoy family tree and a few pages on Gypsies. Whoever was writing was obviously targeting his family and the friends of his family. There was a bit on the Weasleys, a small piece about Hermione and even a blurb about Luna's mother's recent misfortunes.

Harry growled and shoved the paper away, annoyed to see a poll listed on page six declaring Lockhart most popular in the school followed by Draco then Balise and Harry with Dante ridding in under them with a number of other boys and staff following up. Their was a second poll for the girls but it wasn't as interesting apparently to the author as it was much smaller and had much less detail.

"You sent out another call last night that traced into a stone wall but moved until we reached the entrance to the Slytherin rooms." Dante whispered quietly.

Harry dropped his head in his free hand. Pushing his mind into the back of his head he let his self float about in free space, grounding his fingers deep into his own forehead. Ignoring everything and everything, Harry dragged himself through his first three classes, only managing to eat because Draco put forks of food in his mouth.

He was running on a damaged autopilot, still phased, his mind spinning from the effort it took to keep conscious. As soon as they hit Binns' class, Harry was passed out cold on the desk, his brain running a mile a minute through unhindered by the pains of keeping aware. His mind flirted with all the thought he had kept to himself, all the memories suddenly rushing through his head.

When he woke up he was surprised to find himself moving, not only moving but hanging from his ankle. Looking down he saw that no one was holding him up but that he was dangling from his ankle about three feet in the air.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!" He began to thrash, forgotten bruises lighting on fire with the movement.

"WHOO!" Draco shouted. He quickly approached the dangling boy and took his head between his hands forcing Harry to look at him. He gasped, suddenly dropping the boy's head.

"What?" Harry asked, more calm after seeing his brother.

"You're eyes. They were yellow. A terrible poisonous yellow." Dante gasped. Hermione had he hands over he mouth, her eyes peering at him with quiet terror from behind Dante's arm where she seemed to have taken up permanent residence.

Harry blinked folded himself in half to see what held him before flopping back down unable to free himself from the magical bindings. "Mind letting me down. I have an essay to write for Snape and Quidditch practice to attend." Harry let himself flopped down. Ron shook his head and waved his hands at Harry. "I've had enough of this. You're too weird to continue to be surprised at anymore. Come on Draco. Put him down and let's go."

Draco snorted and the tension broke with nervous laughter. Harry smiled and was released from the binding so that he could spin out of the dangled position to land on his feet. They weren't fare from Gryffindor Common room and somehow managed to make it to the bulletin board without another mishap.

"What's everyone gathered around for?" Hermione asked, standing on her tiptoes in order to see over the heads of the crowd. Harry stood beside her, fuming as she lowered herself to stand half a head over him. He gave her a glare out of the corner of his eye and snorted a ring of hot air that made Draco snort as Dante and Ron, the tallest of the group, leaning forward to see what was posted on the board gaining all the attention.

"There's a defense club starting up." Ron informed the vertically challenged group members. "First meeting tonight. Should we go?" Dante asked tenuous. Draco looked at Hermione and Dante then Ron and finally Harry. "It could be fun." Harry shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "I could use a release. And as long as we only fight each other, there's no chance of hurting anyone." Then he smiled. "Actually if you think about it, we'll be able to finally let loose. Magic this time not just weapons." Draco smiled as well and nodded happy to see his friend trying to have fun. It was odd, but it was getting harder and harder to think of Harry as a brother anymore. The thoughts saddened him but also let his mind spend countless hours tramping through possibilities.

**PRODIGY!**

Before Harry had time to calculate a proper shift of balance his familiar came bounding with the speed of a water torpedo soaring over the heads of the crowd around him and landing square in the middle of Harry's chest knocking him into Draco.

Harry blushed and righted himself, murmuring apologies to Draco. Vexation still clung to his shirt, claws holding fast to the scales that still covered his upper chest.

**You scared me! Your aura darkening and then landing yourself in a Dark Realm! I'll never forgive you if that was a joke! Oh! You had me so worried. And then you go and play Quidditch and land yourself in the hospital wing again. And you refuse to stay there? And how the hell are you up and walking? You where hit in the spin for Merlin's sake. Scratch that. I know the answer but it's not time for you. **

**Vex, you're ranting again.**

**I have every right. You're going through changes, too early for your DNA to compute with. You can't do this alone Prodigy. I'm not leaving you any more. You need me with you. **

**What are you so worked up about Vex?**

**Haven't you ever wondered why you got a familiar? Not just an owl or a normal cat like the other good witches and wizards?**

**Well I ….**

**The point is Prodigy, you're about to start coming into your inheritance soon, and it won't be pretty. You're antibodies will try and reject the DNA and I have to be there to deliver the release bite when it happens or your own body will destroy itself. The recovery will be a pain in the arse too. You'll need a lot of help and I'm the only one that can give it to you. **

**What are you talking about?**

**Surely you have noticed differences about yourself. You are thick Prodigy but not that thick.**

**Yes but what does this have to do with an inheritance. **

**As the one you call Uncle.**

**Sirius? **

**No you dolt! Remus. And I suppose Bella would know. Maybe even Regulus. But Sirius would not. He couldn't be trusted at the time. Only Remus and Lily's best friend. As for Cissy….well that part will come into play in it's own time.**

**Just tell me.**

**I can't. It's against the rules.**

**What rules?**

**You are stubborn Prodigy. Now turn that attitude into keeping me with you or all of us will be screwed.**

Shrugging, too tired to fight with the creature, Harry took the cat and draped him around his neck at which point the creature huffed muttering under his breath as he righted himself to sit on the shoulder instead, claws holding fast to the scales he somehow knew where there.

Then again, Vex was his familiar. He knew everything.

With a little coxing from Hermione and Dante, acting on Hermione's behalf, the group found themselves round a table writing essays and finishing homework not due till the following week. As soon as dinner was over and the time of the duel came, students from every house were flocking into the Hall waiting for the doors to the Great Hall to open.

Despite all odd occurrences, Harry was pleased to note that people didn't shy away from him. In fact, despite his odd appearance in muggle clothes he and his brother practiced in, people were purposefully walking up to talk to him. He had managed to pass of the few scales that still lingered around his upper chest as protective armor. It had been impossible to cover up as every glamour he had tried and a few runes spells he had cast had refused to cover the serpentine skin. He wasn't sure if the dueling instructor would be so easily fooled but he didn't care at this point. He wanted to train like a real session.

Finally the Great Hall doors opened and the students spilled into the arena. Harry, Draco, and Dante led Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Eva, Ron and Neville into the hall, a sort of adrenalin buzz vibrating through their skin to push the others a few feet away from them. Harry smiled as whispers debating the teacher filled the hall. Harry had an idea as to the teacher and it made his lips turn into an amused smile. Sure enough the great pillock came strutting out, decked out in the most absurd battle robes Harry had even seen.

"Gather round. Gather round. Can everybody see me? Can everybody hear me?" Gilderoy Lockhart strutted up and down the stage like the great peacock he was. Ideas filled Harry's head making his smile expand to cover his lower face as he tuned out the ridiculous speech the feathered git ranted on.

Draco gave an excited squeak on a decibel that only Dante and Harry could pick up. And apparently Snape, for as the great bat that Harry had come to love as a mentor and a second godfather stalked up the stairs to the stage, a crinkle formed at the corners of his eyes in an unmistakable spy smile. Draco flushed and stared at the ground but still managed to watch Gilderoy get knocked on his arse in the most demeaning fashion.

They were split into group. Draco and Harry, Ron and Neville, Dante and Hermione, Ginny and Eva and Luna with Justin FinchFletchley who happened to be standing nearby and was now torn between hurting the girl and getting his arse kicked by Loony Luna. After a few chaotic attempts Lockhart broke them up proclaiming he wanted to have the students practice a mock duel for the group.

He instantly swooped down on Harry pulling him to the front by his scale coated shoulder. He babbled on about how much he knew of Harry's armor as Harry watch Snape regrettably choice Zabini to counter him. He saw the apology in the man's eye and only smiled. He heard Draco throw his voice so it sounded like his Wolf whistle came from across the hall but it was unmistakably his.

Harry stood tall, black jeans, ripped at the knees, a green sleeveless shirt on his chest, the startling green scales shinning in the remaining light that flickered from the torches on the wall. And then there was Zabini who stood, his robes abandoned so that his unbuttoned school shirt framed his set jaw and his school pants tight on his hips. Harry smiled and signaled a bow to the boy. Zabini gave a low growl and returned the gesture.

Then all hell broke out. Zabini fired the first shot, big surprise. It was a simple reducto that Harry simply dodged, and returned, knocking the boy back onto his arse. He quickly spun out of the fall however and returned a jelly-legs jinx as he spun. Harry pulled up a shield, angling it just right so the curse rebounded and hit Pansy Parkinson. Zabini growled and waited, trying to get Harry to throw up an attack. Harry responded with a tickling charm, still unmoved from the space he had started. Zabini was darting all over creation trying to take him by surprise, wasting his energy.

Zabini blocked his charm and sent a slightly more advanced curse, on to make him brake out in boils. And then he did it. Lockhart moved into position. Harry sent his spell with perfect accuracy and Zabini dodged as Harry knew he would catching the second spell he threw, a petrifying charm, while Lockhart caught the first. In a puff of purple smoke that cleared as Zabini fell to the ground, Lockhart was replaced with a frumpy peacock. The Hall burst into peels of laughter, Harry's obvious intent for the spells to work out in such a way obvious to everyone there.

Snape had revived Zabini as Harry turned to claim the applause gifted to him by every other house. Then Zabini did the expected. He shot a curse at Harry behind his back. As soon as the Serpent Summoning charm reached his ears, Harry spun a small knife in hand from the space in his boot for such things, only to see a small snake of a breed he had never known before already landing, fangs poised over his chest.

Harry caught the snake, its two inch long fangs already deep inside his scales. He took a shuddering breath and closed his eyes. He could hear gasps and even screams but then he opened his eyes, everything suddenly coming into new light. New colors that hadn't even been accessible to him with the magical eye and smells reached his senses tickling him with the unknown. He let out an airy smile and smiled, knees buckling with the sensory overload. He was somewhat aware of Draco standing behind him trying to get to him.

Then everything came back and Harry was able to raise his hand to pinch the jaws of the small viper to make it retract his fangs. Harry smiled down, feeling fangs drop from his own gums, only about and inch in length but still enough to be noticeable.

_**You are early. **_The snake hissed at him, looking him over with cold calculating yellow eyes. Yellow sulfur puffed out in rings from its first head as a second suddenly appeared, its poisonous black tongue tasting Harry.

_**And you are not fulfilling your master's wish, young Revenge Demon. **_The words trailed out of Harry's mouth without him really comprehending it.

_**You are too great for a simple jealous boy's anger. **_The first head hissed.

_**Well come to Hell Gin. **_The second one laughed.

And with that the snake burst into flames, as Harry clutched at air with small silver talons that had ripped out of his nail beds. He rolled his neck and the fangs and talons disappeared.

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" Justin who had been closet cried out from the crowd.

"Hell is nothing to play with." Harry hissed back.


	12. Chapter 12: Facing the Masses

Family Types: Year 2

**Chapter 12: Facing the Masses**

Harry was pacing back and forth in the hallway, waiting for Draco to finish talking with Severus so he could flee. He felt inclined to wait for the boy's permission he had no idea, but suddenly what he did and didn't do seemed to revolve solely around Draco's opinion. Then there was the constant stream of information seeping into his mind and blowing his head back. New colors, scents and feelings were cramming into his brain, the dark voice in the back of his head whispering's overruled by the loud hissing cry that brought tears to his eyes. But they weren't normal tears. No, when he put a finger to his eye to steam their flow, his hand came away carrying blood.

His heart stopped, waited two full beats and thankfully restarted though its beat was retarded by a few crucial seconds. As it thumped painfully in his chest, he became aware of the lightness of his body, as though he no longer had bones. Vexation's warning came cracked through his crowded mind like a whip and new panic gripped him. His eyes were swiveling back and forth, his back aching, his neck twisting of its own accord to accommodate an invisible force that pushed on it as he walked a hot circle into the floor of the Hall. He was scared, excited, and dumbstruck, his brain filling with knowledge, his hands filling with power, his eyes filling with blood.

Dante watched him alone, having left Ron and Hermione to their own devises to care for his brother. He had insisted they remain in the Great Hall with the other innocent bystanders as this was a side of Harry they had never seen before. And yet, it was with a sort of sick satisfaction that they watched him, somehow knowing that this was the real Harry. And deep inside, Dante knew that Draco had something within him waiting for its chance to begin changing as well.

Dante didn't want to think on what he felt in both his brothers. He knew it was there but didn't want to contemplate on the fact. He had been warned when he was just a small boy that it would happen, had been told that he himself had changed at birth, the werewolf genes. But he had been told that Draco would but not for a long time. He had been too young then to understand, but now comprehension dawned on him. He'd have to owl his parents.

"Harry" He asked tentatively. The ebony haired teen spun on him, fearful, blood tears dripping from his eyes. Pain from years of being forbidden a child had shaped Harry into a hard teen of wisdom and understanding well beyond his years, the same painful lessons that shaped his ever move into a refined dance he was distained to follow suddenly relinquished it's strangle hold on the tired frame. A boy, five years too young to be the Harry they knew in the present, replaced the cold, stony teen that they had come to trust and follow to oblivion and back.

To Dante it was the most beautiful yet scary change he had ever seen in his life. Behind the bloody tears and still chest, Dante saw fire he had never seen before. Waves rolled in through his emerald eyes as thunder brought them volume and lightning accented the determined glint foreign to the hollowed orbs. But pain still crippled the new light. Sadness and unrelenting anguish clouded their determination and a secret lurked behind the tears, a secret that had been in those eyes for years.

Dante had seen it once before, Harry's secret that is. Had seen it on the first day he saw Harry, before the boy had become the tough shell of a boy he once was. Harry had come to them barely breathing. The adults had patched him up and when he was too drugged out to really notice them all there.

He and Draco had walked in, taken up post on ether side of the bed. Harry had looked up at Dante and then Draco. He grabbed Draco by the neck collar brought him in close and whispered "kill me" before releasing the blonde to reveal the very same blood tears dripping down his checks now. Draco had taken that plea as a mission in life. He never wanted to hear the words again, not from those lips anyway.

Now it was Dante's turn as the tired eyes spoke all the words his mouth was to tired of expressing.

"D," Harry whispered, his voice wavering with emotion, pain filling the previously hollow eyes. "It hurt's D. It hurts so much. All the pain. All the anger. Why is everyone so angry?" He fell into his brother's arms sobbing, his wheezing breaths shaking his chest at spastic intervals.

"It's going to be okay Har." Dante hugged the boy to him, relishing the touch. Harry wasn't very open with his body, for reasons everyone knew but still tiptoed around, hoping to avoid the ugly truth.

"Let's go." Draco came out of the Great Hall to find his brother's in such a possession and immediately felt guilty. He had no idea what was going on but he knew it was causing pain.

"Kreature!" He called out. Suddenly the elf was there.

"How can I help the young Malfoy brat?" Kreature wheezed bent double in the best show of obedience he could muster.

"Not me!" Draco growled. He flung his arm out and pointed to Harry who was clinging to Dante for support.

"Master Harry!" Kreature wailed racing over to the boy. "What has they done to you!" He cried his face screwing up as fat tears filled his winkled patches.

"I'm a Black." Draco sniffed, ignoring the comment from the ancient elf.

"Kreature!" Harry spotted the elf and made to cling to his as well. "He didn't mean it. He was trying to save me. Save me from this! He was trying to save me!" Harry sobbed; red blood tears trickled down his faces, his eyes staining blood red. "And you. Regulus tried to save you. And I interrupted. I'm so ignorant."

The wails were simply babble to Draco and Dante but it was clear that Kreature understood for he went white and clutched at Harry tighter. Then his voice cracked and his back straightened, his flesh began to piece together. Suddenly a much younger healthier version of Kreature stood holding Harry.

"You are young Master Harry." Kreature whispered his voice suddenly full and deep. "You have learned."

"I'm sorry!" Harry breathed into Kreature's newly repaired clothes, yes clothes, not rags.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

Harry awoke to a heavy misting of snow that eased the pain that had settled in his chest. The pure white flakes made it easier to climb into Draco's bed, a feet he hadn't been able to perform despite the worst of his nightmares. He sighed as he and the blond fell into place, silent apology and forgiveness passing between the two half unconscious bodies.

About an hour later Harry felt Dante slid in, making them all sleep on their sides but suddenly the bed was two times as big, letting them lie out. Two hours later, Harry felt eyes on him but he knew that it was Ron and Neville, and he had no care in fact, he felt the bed double and open to the two boys, one on either side. And they surprisingly joined them.

There was something magical about a boy's apology and forgiveness. It could be exchanged with few to no words at all. And yet there was more emotion in the lack of words then all the poetry of the world combined.

When they all awoke, it was to find out they had missed breakfast and that Herbology had been canceled due to the snow. Kreature, however, had brought up a large spread for all the boys and something that smoked an angry red for Harry.

Harry took the goblet, not really hungry but knowing that Kreature was looking out for him. At the first sip, Harry was intoxicated. It was the most delicious filling thing he had ever eaten. It was warm and frothy but thick and filled his mouth. He continued to down the potion in gulps as the seemingly endless vat of the stuff filled him with warm comfort. Every aching whip slash and burn mark that had reawakened in his body that night, cooled and let him think as he listened to his friends.

The practiced for a bit, but their minds were all divided. People watched them from out of windows as they practiced in the feet of snow. Neville left to help Professor Sprout with the Mandrakes. Dante left with Hermione when the girl started to shiver and the two sought out Luna, Ginny and Evangeline.

Draco, Ron and Harry continued to fight in their bulky robes all lined with fake fur and charmed to stay warm. They spent half an hour practicing hand-to-hand before Draco got tired of knocking Harry on his arse.

"If it's bothering you so much, go find Justin. Explain to him." Ron huffed, already taking up stance to counter Draco who was sliding back in his own stance.

"I think I will." Harry muttered rubbing his aching rear. "See you at lunch." Draco called after Harry as he stomped up the snowy hillside.

Harry entered the Hall which suddenly cleared of all Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. Harry sighed and blinked his magical eye to change the setting from normal to heat sensing. Harry found Justin's signature in the library and hurriedly made his way up the steps to the library.

Sliding in amongst the books, Harry hurried to the back where Justin was supposed to be. But there was no Justin.

"I told Justin to hind in our dorm. If Potter's picked him out to be his next victim better he keeps a low profile. Poor bloke, simply spoke at the wrong time. He even told the Fake that he was a muggle-born." Harry felt his face twist into a snarl.

"You definitely think it was Potter then Ernie?" a girl asked, leaning closer to the boy.

"Undoubtedly. Think about it Hanna. All the people that have been taken down, they all had some hind of beef with either Potter or Potter's friends. Filch turned Draco and Potter in. Colin was the most obvious creator of _Hogwarts Hogwash_ and now Justin, who has openly accused them, not to mention that they're all muggleborns and squibs."

"Who was a squib?" The girl asked.

"Filch. Fred and George Weasley found out in detention when they found a letter on his desk. Posted fliers on all the bulletin boards." He paused licking his lips before leaning in close. "Potter left his muggle house. Now, I'm not a muggle born but I was talking to Justin and he always thought something had happened to Potter there. Otherwise why would he suddenly up and leave. And he told me that when ever Potter played Quidditch, he didn't change in the locker rooms. Justin didn't know what had happened but he figured that what ever it was, it was bad enough to make Potter angry at all muggles."

Harry felt his blood begin to boil and heard his heart pounding in his ears.

"But he's always been so nice. And he is the one who got ride of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. That monster went after him when he was just a baby. He didn't want to be placed with muggles in the first place."

"Well of course he did." Ernie pushed on. "Didn't want to have to comet with Potter for power. Makes you wonder what other power's he's been hiding. But what really tickles my curiosity is what the muggles did to him to make him hate them so much."

Harry couldn't stand it anymore. He stepped out, with half a mind to rip off his cloak and show them his scared back.

"Excuse me." He stepped out of the bookcases like a Vampire out of shadows.

The Hufflepuffs gave a satisfying squeak and a jump.

"I felt my ears burning and could help but over hear your conversation." Harry sneered. "If you really must know, I left the muggles to be with real family. I'm sure you'd rather be someone's brother then someone's slave." He hissed then calmed himself. "I have a favor to ask you. Can you tell Justin that I want to talk to him, face-to-face? He can bring whomever he likes to "protect" him." Harry made quotation marks with his fingers when he said protect.

"I don't care if it's a teacher. I don't mean him any harm. I just need to talk to him." Harry asked a hint of begging in his voice.

"I will tell him, but don't be surprised when all of Hufflepuff and all the teachers come." Ernie hissed.

"Thank you." Harry added a short bow.

He left in a hurry, wanting to get far away from everyone. Harry pushed through the halls, hardly knowing where he was going. Suddenly he ran head long into Hagrid.

"'Ello Harry?" The giant smiled. "Haven't seen much of you about." He smiled giving the boy a one armed hug. Harry hugged back watching the few people that dashed away behind him. Lockhart seemed to want to approach him but thought better of it and bustled away.

"Sorry Hagrid." Harry huffed, turning his attention back to his friend. "I was really busy with Eva and the whole _Hogwarts Hogwash _business and then I was sick and now I spend most of my days running off to the Chamber of Secrets to set a fictitious monster after muggleborns because my aunt and uncle treated me like crap." Harry sighed as Hagrid smiled sadly and clapped him on the back. Harry would have become a new tile the force was so heavy, if he hadn't have trained his body to remain upright under extreme pressure.

"It'll be alright Harry." Hagrid smiled. "Why don't you tell me about it while we walk to Dumbledore's office." He gestured to a dead chicken in his hand, which Harry unconsciously flinched away from.

"Something's killing them off like they'd gotten the plague." Hagrid looked to Harry to confirm the proper usage of the muggle term, to which Harry nodded. "Gonna ask Dumbledore's permission to put up a few charms."

Harry strolled along with Hagrid telling him everything within measure. He started from the barrier to the conversation he'd over heard the Hufflepuffs having.

"Ah, pay them no mind Harry." The monstrous man offered, smiling at teen with now advice on how to complete it, simply that it had to be done. Still Harry found comfort in the blind faith, the utter inconceivable nature of the crimes pinned against him in the giant's eyes. A simply "he didn't do it" was enough to change everyone's minds, would convince everyone of his innocents in Hagrid's opinion.

They found themselves in front a Griffin which Harry used his magical eye to scan. Charmed to alert the occupants of the room to incoming visitors or prevent entries deemed unacceptable by the man inside. Hagrid spoke the password, which Harry was too busy inspecting the warding on the statue to hear, and the two quickly rode up the spiraling steps.

When they entered the room, nobody was there but a tired old phoenix. Harry wandered up to the bird, too intrigued to worry about seeming rude. He stopped at the perch and looked the bird in the eye gauging the creature as an unknown threat and yet an adversary. The bird watched him confused, seemingly stuck between ruffling its feathers to look ferocious and rolling over so the boy could groom him.

Harry was just as confused, wanting to sing to the bird and pluck its feathers out of his teeth in the same instant. He decided instead to quickly back away from the bird and observe the other objects in the room. He saw the wizarding equivalent of the CIA in Dumbledore's office. Wizarding surveillance systems, tracking devices, warning devices like foe glasses and sneak-o-scopes on a level kin to muggle surveillance satellites and even a few protection warded weapons.

A pensive and the sorting hat sat in the cabinets but it wasn't what peeked Harry's interest. It was the charms on both. Powerful charms lay on the pensive that would draw the attention of the person meant to see inside it and to play the scenes in order. The hat, the hat was a wonder. He had never really looked at it fully, had been too worried about being dragged off to the Dursleys or of being placed in Slytherin, in his first year to really notice it. Now he had all the time in the world to look at it.

It was almost like a bottomless bag and inside tumbled information, trinkets, scrolls, books, weapons and numerous bits of armor and or uniforms(battle robes, school uniforms, and even regular every day robes that ranged from black to green to orange with a black fringe and spiders that actually crawled across their cobwebs.) Gold and potions also floated but where much less free in their movements.

Yet through all the observations he had just made none of it intrigued Harry more than the thick black slithering ropes that seemed to bind the hat together. They where dripping with foul black acid but didn't restrict the movements of the hat or the objects within it. The snaky things slithered about the hat's brim, sometimes sinking their teeth into the hat itself and sucking out white-gold ooze almost like unicorn blood but of a less sparkling brilliance.

"Something you find interesting Mr. Potter?" The headmaster's voice came as a surprise to him but he neither jumped nor did he turn to face the aged man.

"Just noting something I hadn't before sir." Harry answered sending a quick look over his shoulder. The headmaster sat behind his desk, Hagrid's dead rooster on his desk. Harry gave the rooster another look and turned back to the hat. Dumbledore and Hagrid were talking about ideas for preventing any more deaths within the rooster population when the hat seemed to take notice of him.

"Bee in your bonnet Potter?" it asked, quietly so the others couldn't hear.

"No, but it looks like you have quiet a bit more within you." Harry replied smoothly.

The hat chuckled. "Apparently so do you young man. But I guess I can no longer call you a young man." The hat stressed the word.

"Why not?" Harry asked curiously.

But before the hat could make its excuses it was saved by Professor McGonagall barging through the door.

"Headmaster! Another attack. It's the Flinchflechly boy and Sir Nicholas." Dumbledore stood up. Harry was shocked. Then sudden hunger filled him. He felt the hat smile and felt Dumbledore turn to fix him with a penetrating stare.

"Is there something you want to tell me Harry?" Damn that infernal twinkle. It was as if Dumbledore had a magical eye that seemed to catch everything Harry kept from everyone, even Draco.

Harry's skin was alive as a light had touched his mind. Harry grabbed it with a whip like furry and threw it back at the headmaster, his face stony as he replied. "No sir. Draco is just looking for me. I have lunch to get to anyway. Good seeing you Hagrid." He turned back to the Headmaster. As slight bow. "Headmaster." Then he turned and left. As soon as he was down the stairs and out of sight of the Griffin he broke out into a run. He dashed to the hospital wing, time seemingly freezing behind him.

When he enter Pomfrey was no where to be seen. He slipped back into the curtain clad room, his thoughts clouded. He slipped past Colin, past the cat, and past Nick to find Justin. The boy had his hands in front of his face. Harry drank in the fear that still lingered on the cold flesh.

"Bloody hell." He whispered suddenly blacking out.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

When Harry came too, he was hidden in a passage deep in the bowels of Hogwarts. Whatever had been clawing at his belly was quieted now, the pains receding into nothing when before he had thought no torture worse. He sat up disgusted with himself. Whatever was happening, no matter how much he hated to admit it, it was connected to not only him but his newest animagus.

He had arrived at the conclusion rather suddenly. While sitting in a state of half awareness, he could recall smooth scales on cold stone floor, warm black blood on his lips and a subtle sigh of content escaping him in a hiss. These recollections, along with the alien logic that had been filling his brain since the dueling club, Harry had been able to draw only one conclusion. The attacks had begun only a day or two after his fist true contact with his animagus. Each following attack he had been unconscious for and had been spotted at numerous ones.

Disgusted with himself, with what he had allowed himself to do, Harry slipped back down the wall to hug his knees. The only option was clear. As much as he hated to admit it, there was only one way he was going to master his form in time to save the rest of the school. It had been a plan he had worked out a long time ago but had hoped to never need to actually put into action.

He looked down at his hands sadly. It was the only way.

Project Polyjuice Prank was already well underway, all he had to do was finish his own tweaks. Picking himself up, Harry hurried off to salvage what little lunch time he had left. As he ran he ran his plan through his head over and over.

**PRODIGY! YOU DID IT AGAIN!**

Where Vexation had come from, Harry had no idea. But suddenly the cat was clinging to his head, claws digging into his scalp as the beast bounced up and down with Harry's long strides.

**This is why I told you to take me everywhere, but did you listen to your familiar? No!**

**I'm sorry Vex! I didn't mean too. **Harry almost sobbed across the bond, his bottled emotions finally imploding. **Do you think I want to be attacking people? These are my friends, my people, my clan. This is my home away from home. There my family, down to the last Slytherin. And that's why I have to go. Just for Christmas. **

**I know. You damn moron. **Vexation's tone was not one of accusation but one of a mixture of pride and pity. **You are a damned fool Idiot Child. But you are my damned fool and I think you have the right idea.**

Harry couldn't take it. Vex wasn't being his usual sarcastic scathing self. Things must have been in a bad way.

**You might say to me that I am a moron and I'd say yes, but I am a moron with a dream and that's the most dangerous kind of moron. **Harry choked.

**Yes. **Vex laughed**. Now, how do you propose you get out of the castle? **


	13. Chapter 13: Polyjucie Project

Family Types: Year 2

**Chapter 13: Project Polyjuice**

Harry had managed to talk the twins into playing their prank the day before school let out for Christmas vacation.

They had long ago started brewing polyjuice as part of their list of _Random Things that Annoy Everyone_. They had decided long ago to slip their own hairs into the potion and using their superior potions skills, taught to them by their house's resident potions masters (Cissy and Regulus) and Draco's "apprenticeship" to Snape in his younger days, as well as his and Harry's detentions with the Professor, the three had planned to slip it to the hall at large and cause a bit of mayhem.

After the attack on Justin, a new issue of _Hogwarts Hogwash _had come out with a picture of Harry talking to Hagrid the picture thrown on a loop so that he repeated the words:

"And now I spend most of my days running off to the Chamber of Secrets to set a fictitious monster

after muggleborns because my aunt and uncle treated me like crap."

Harry balled up the paper and set it on fire before digging into his breakfast. Afterwards, Dante had tired to cheer him up with a prank and Harry had jumped at the opportunity.

Harry's plans were underway. It would take another week to finish but it would happen on schedule. He spent the week in his trunk, fighting, brewing and avoiding all manner of life apart from Vex who was keeping close eye on him. The only other presence he would tolerate was Draco's, which he sought more and more often. If someone so much as looked at the boy the wrong way, Harry was there, and people were quick to discover that there were numerous ways to look at the boy which Harry considered to be wrong, ranging from disgusted to intrigued.

Harry spent more restless nights staring out of the window, his feet dangling out of the opened pane as he balanced himself on the thin sill. And more and more often, Draco, Ron or Dante would drag him off and either put him in his own bed or on the floor beside them. Neville still seemed to feel too awkward around Harry to do anything, not that Harry blamed him.

He was acting like Bella during the first couple months of her pregnancy, where she would cry one minute and suddenly start laugh till her face went blue. He hated himself for causing his friends, his family grief, but something inside him wouldn't let him repent.

Impulses like that had been hitting him left and right. He refused to eat meat one day then wanted nothing that didn't bleed the next. He found himself in such a state two days before there prank was scheduled.

Standing before the blonde's bed at three in the morning, the rumpled Harry, clad in sleeper pants and a muscle shirt, both black in color, stared down at the perfect copy of an angle in the bed bellow. He wanted to be next to Draco so badly that the bed actually expanded for him. The blonde cracked an eye open, spotted Harry, grabbed his arm and pulled him down and over his own body so that the ebony haired youth lay sprawled against him, in the open space of the bed. Harry smiled and thrust himself under the covers and quietly falling asleep.

He woke again at four to find Dante in his previous position. Once again the bed expanded and Harry mimicked Draco's actions. Dante followed Harry's example and all was quiet till five when all three brothers awoke to see both Neville and Ron standing over them. Dante chuckled as the bed expanded yet again and the two joined.

Just as had happened many time before hand, Harry found himself instigating the great migration into Draco's bed. His apologies were quickly responded to with dorm wide forgiveness, though only five out of the seven boys participated in the physical nature of the ceremony. The communication of mistakes by the seven boys was always simple and plan with some aspects being passed around by third party members, such as Ron and Neville explaining the reasons for them sleeping with the three others, to Dean and Shamus who in turn explained why they slept with each other.

More often then not, words were unnecessary. One simple action could squash a year long feud as long as both parties where open to the arrangement. By pinning at his side, Harry had apologized for everything he had done, hidden and would do. By accepting him into his bed, Draco had forgiven him, though it meant a tongue lashing would be in order when he returned.

And so it was deep regret that Harry studded the sprinkler system as he hung upside down from the Hall ceiling. Ron was systematically placing dung bombs in the upper corridors under Dante's supervision as Neville kept look out, leaving Draco and Harry under Vex's supervision. Harry continued to hang upside down, silver mask firmly in place as Draco shifted through the shadows below him, setting up tar buckets over doorways.

Harry had jerry-rigged a system of swamp vines, barrowed from Fred and George with Ron's help, over the entrance to every doorway and secret passage as well as a few bogus passages to throw Filch off. Each held plaster goo which, upon hitting the ground, would harden to prevent reentering and or leaving the castle.

**It's clear to come down. **Vex called from his lookout post.

Harry dropped soundlessly to land with grace on the ball of his feet on the ground as Luna, Eva, Ginny, and Hermione returned from charming the chalk boards.

With his new knowledge, Harry had been able to calculate ever twist and turn for every trap as well as ever hiccup that had worried them involving the polyjuice potion. He had even managed to tune his bike, on which he planned to make his escape, to run silent.

The power was incredible but only served to scare Harry even more. He found with each passing hour that he would have rather have their rag-tag family all patched up over Christmas then all the power he now held shaky mastery over.

Glancing up to admire his work, Harry found the others gathering around him, Dante and Ron returning from their dung bomb placing and teacher charming to Draco who had returned from giving the Polyjuice to Kreature. Harry had already instructed Kreature to add the extra he had made on his own, previously planning on stocking up, with the instructions to give it to all the Gryffindors, even his brothers. Kreature had smiled knowingly and promised that he would have healing balm for Harry when he got back and that all letters sent to Harry, Kreature would respond to in his master's hand.

A few letters and some promising bribery for his Master in town had earned Harry a three day solo leaning experience with his Master and therefore, an alibi to keep himself, and his scars safe. Kreature had promised to pose as his master for the duration of the school time and to return to Regulus once Harry returned.

Harry had already explained to Draco and Dante why he couldn't return to the house with them, and had promised to make it up to them. He had even told them about the changes Vex told him about. He had been surprised when Dante seemed to know, and even hinted at knowing that Harry was leaving the school.

It wasn't the most troublesome thing in the world but when you counted the fact that the boy seemed to know everything, it wasn't too surprising. He had promised to kill Harry himself if anything happened to the teen. Draco had merely hugged him, seemingly knowing where he was going.

Even know everyone looked at him with sad eyes.

"I've never seen so many long faces on the night of a prank." Harry joked emotionlessly.

"Where are you going Harry?" Draco finally whispered.

"If I told you, you'd try to stop me and none of this would end. " Harry replied. "I'm the cause of these attacks, I just know it. I wish I could say that there was a different explanation but there isn't." He looked at each of them and sighed.

"I'm going to my Uncle's house."

Gasps.

"Harry! Are you crazy?" Draco cried. Tears were actually in his eyes as he pulled Harry into his arms. "They….after everything they did? You want to go back?!"

"I don't want to. I need to. Some unfinished business is there. Something I can't turn away from." Harry sighed into Draco's chest. "I wish I didn't have to but none of this will stop till I can master this form. Please, please don't try to stop me, and don't tell anyone. I'll be back in three days. Any longer and you are allowed to tell Regulus or Remus. No one else." Harry squeezed the blonde in his arms.

"I'm not going to let them hurt me." He whispered. "I love you." He whispered. Draco gasped, shocked by the admission, not because he took it for the confession it was meant to be, but because Harry had said the three little words he had yet to say to Sirius. Harry felt his face flush and quickly covered himself by saying "All of you." But still he clung to Draco.

"Let me come." Draco pleaded.

"I need to go alone." Harry whispered back.

"No you don't! You need me. I need you." He sobbed. "Don't do this Harry."

"I'm sorry Draco. Really."

"I love you too Harry. Come back in one piece or I will resurrect you and kill you myself and then let Regulus have a go."

Harry shuddered, still in his arms. He doubted that the boy had meant the same thing when he returned the emotion Harry had up until now refused to even consider. He doubted very much that Draco even though it might have been something more then brotherly love. He doubted very much that anyone, even Draco himself, realized just what saying those simple words had suddenly done to him. In his mind, "I love you" also stood for "I love to hurt you. Don't be afraid of trying to escape, it won't hurt me any". Love was bondage, always had been from the first time he remembered hearing the words.

They had told Dudley those words over and over with high voices gushing with unrequited adoration and never considered even glancing over their shoulders at him as they bestowed the magical gift on the fat pig. Harry had longed for them to whisper, even write the words down, any means of communicating them would do. But his wish had come true in the worst possible way he could ever think of imagining.

As Harry walked back to the common room with the quiet family, he felt his mind slowly sucking into a flash back, and this one would be messy. He split from their party, explaining that he was going to check some charm lines that might have crossed wrong. He had barely escaped into the hidden stair cases when he was sucked into the memory.

_Hard breaths, thick hands, sweat on his pillow dropping from a forehead that wasn't his own. Odors indicating a work out or strenuous exercise filled the small room. It was Dudley's room, well his second room. His aunt had told him that he could take a few of the books from the shelves if he wanted to make room for the boy's new presents. The idea had pleases Harry so much he had missed the unmistakable air of scotch on the horse's breath. _

_He gathered up a stack that now lay strewn on the floor, the carefully laid pile was reduced to a haphazard heap on the small space of floor from which he had bee removed. The bed on which he had been replaced had been prepared for him, old sheets and holey pillow case stained with paint and starched with chemicals it had protected the floor from. The pillow suddenly lay atop of the books, know, discarded for lay of use. Sweat fell beside his ear now as lips brushed by his ear; warm breath tickled the ridge, making him squirm away._

"_I love you." The words made his freeze. "Everything about you intoxicates me. But mostly how big your eyes get when you're scared. Like right now, they're the size of saucers and your breathing has stopped. I can feel your heart racing wondering 'what will he do next?' Vernon doesn't love me like this any more." A finger traced up the back of Harry's spin._

"_You're small. You should thank me. Shoving you in that cupboard, keeping you begging for food, it has done wonders for your body." Harry could imagine the crazed smile on his aunt's face, the thin cheeks pulled back, eyes rolled up into her head the usual pale of her face now hidden by the flush of red brought on by her drinking._

"_You smell wonderful." She breathed, nose tracing his collarbone. "So young, so scared, you're sweating like a pig. It's magical." Thin hands pushed down on his back, cracking his shoulder blades making Harry whimper before forcing him to relax. "You're so young, so new. I could never do this with Dudley. No he's a good boy but he too big boned like his dad." _

"_But you." She whispered leaning back down to fit as much of herself as she could into the curve of Harry's back. "You are young, so young." She smiled dragging her nose up the back of Harry's neck. "Yes, green as a new leaf and just as easily broken. But don't worry. I won't pluck you. Not yet anyway. I want to have many more days to enjoy this. Many more occasions to love you. Yes. Many. many more."_

_She lifted herself off Harry's back and padded gently out of the room leaving Harry to pick himself out of the tangle of sheets and pull his shirt back on. He raised a hand to his eyes, expecting to find tears there. But nothing came. He couldn't fully comprehend what had happened. All he knew was that if he didn't hurry, he'd be late for Dudley's fourth birthday._

Harry found himself slumped against the wall searing pain flashing across his body making him crumple and fall. It wasn't took another hour for him to pick himself back up. Clinging to the walls Harry edged his way back to the dorms to find Draco waiting in his bed, asleep propped up against the back board. Harry smiled sadly before easing the boy down into the bed and crawling in next to him.

Tomorrow. He would fix this. All of this. And they would never be bothered by this side of him.

**Where did you go? **Harry called out to Vex, who had just jumped onto the bed.

**Made sure Draco didn't follow you. I figured you'd want him seeing that little episode almost as much a you'd want a day of potions lessons.**

**Thanks Vex. I owe you one.**

**Just come back alive.**

**You're not coming?**

**No way for me to travel Prodigy, unless you want me clinging to your scalp at a hundred miles an hour.**

Harry grimaced. **That's okay, you go with Draco. I'm sure his snake What's-his-face won't mind sharing a pocket with you.**

**Yes, and I'm sure that Lord-That-Guy will be willing to share your demise with your uncle. **Vex was serious, staring at Harry with unblinking amber eyes.

**Are you sure you want to do this Prodigy? We can work things out.**

**No, I have to. If not to save Hogwarts then to save myself. Face it, all this time with Sirius and Remus, Uncle Regulus and Aunt Bella and Cissy, I thought I was healing but I was just avoiding the problem. I'll get a few thing settled and then I'll come home and see the new baby. **

Vexation seemed to accept that he wasn't going to change Harry's mind and let him go. They stared at each other for a while before Vexation took a running leap and landed on Harry's chest, nuzzling under the human's chin affectionately.

**Be careful Prodigy. It will be lonely in my head with only me in it.**

Harry laughed and stroked that cat comfortingly, though who was being comforted with unclear. Finally they both fell into soft sleep.

When dawn broke, Harry knew it was going to be a bad day. He ached all over, his muscles taught from muscle cramps and his head throbbing, a minor burning happening in his scar. He groaned and shifted his legs out of the bed to stumble to the showers only to fall directly out of the bed and end up on a heap.

"Graceful." Draco croaked looking down at the boy as he groaned and rubbed the back of his head.

"It's your fault you prat." Harry teased. "If I hadn't been cramped on one side of the bed, my muscles wouldn't be so sore."

Draco cracked a sleepy smile, his eyes drooping to half mast, his lips twitching up on one side, the energy required to do so to the other, too great. He nuzzled into the pillows with a contented sigh.

"Come back to bed Harry. It's cold without you here." He was already falling back to sleep, where Harry should have been at four in the morning. Biting his lip, Harry finally returned to the warm comfort to find Draco instantly rapped around him, warm secreting from ever pour on his body soothing Harry's tender muscles.

The next time he woke, it was six twenty and Draco was rousing beside him.

"Good morning." Draco yawned. Then blinking in surprise he sat up concern replacing his sleepy haze. Harry yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes only to find, when he opened them, that Draco had put a hand to his forehead.

"What are you doing Dray?" Harry asked cocking his head to the side.

"You slept in with me? What's wrong?" Draco stated the question with overflowing amounts of incredulity.

"You wouldn't let me take a shower. You were too much of a big girl's blouse to warm the bed by your self." Harry laughed climbing out carefully; his muscles more relaxed this time.

He skipped out of Draco reach and jumped into the shower. He stood under the warm spray for a time then rushed through the process of cleaning himself when the rest of the boys began to tease him for all the time he was spending there. When he came out he saw Hermione dressed and waiting on Dante's bed as the boy tied his tie before the mirror. Dean and Shamus waved cheerfully before heading down themselves while Ron and Draco secluded themselves into a far corner to change out of Hermione's vision.

Harry smiled but instead of changing into his robes, slipped on a pair of jeans, a brown shirt and pulled his leather jacket on over top. He smiled and cast a small glamour over the muggle clothes to make them appear as robes. Hermione watched, obviously itching to ask him how to do it as Dante gazed on him proudly. Draco watched, rather sadly in Harry's opinion. His gray eyes were clouded with worry and it settled a familiar ach in Harry's chest to know that he caused that pain.

He reached out and took Draco by the shoulder.

"I need to do this if I ever want to be normal around you guys again." He whispered. "If I ever want to be the happy-go-lucky boy you made me, I need to do this. I don't know what will happen when I do, but I know the change will be for the better. You trust me right?" He wasn't just talking to Draco now. They all smiled like they new, but it stung. Deep down Harry knew that they couldn't know. And, not that he wanted them to know, but it hurt to know that there would always be that small rift.

Draco seemed to know this too. He held no look of knowing in his steely eyes and made no effort to assure Harry that he understood and it was that complete surrender to him that made Harry push out of his cautious shell to snatch the boy up in his arms and hold him tight, his fear suddenly wracking his frame in great shivers that shook Draco.

"Let me come with you." Draco whispered close to Harry's ear so that even Dante with his super hearing wouldn't catch the words.

"I don't want you to see this. Stay here and make sure no one gets a good look at my body." Harry smiled squeezing the boy tightly in his arms. "I made sure that Kreature only gives males the polyjuice with my hairs but I want you to help influence the teachers to ring all our doubles up and keep them from inspecting my body. It's bad enough I have to expose the fact I have no right eye but…" He released Draco once he felt the blonde nod.

Words were an unnecessary commodity at that point. Everything they needed to tell each other passed through the awkwardly comfortable silence.

"Shall we go to breakfast then? Only if was don't hurry it'll pass on without us." Ron smiled pointing a thumb over his shoulder towards the door.

Harry nodded and they began filing out.

Breakfast was quiet, Harry subdued by the subtle ach that had been haunting him for a while now set in. In nestled deep in his chest burning to break free. He wasn't hungry. Harry abandoned his spoon and watched the teachers eat. Snape knew something was happening. His eyes hadn't left Harry since he had come in. Glancing at his watch, he mouthed a silent apology to the man.

Before Snape could jump to his feet, the entire Gryffindor table changed into copies of Harry Potter, with the exception of Draco and Dante who were suddenly met with carbon copies of themselves from the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. The Slytherins all turned into Hermione, adding insult to injury. Pandemonium broke out. People fled into the hall, Harrys and Dracos flying in different directions only to be splattered by goo, caught in nets, lost in the smoke of dungbombs and generally lost in chaotic discord.

Harry leapt up and followed the ass of his clones out of the hall and out into the sloping lawn by the lake. He dashed for the trees, his mind made up as his feet kicked up dirt with the force of his foot falls. He raced to the forest, disillusioning himself as he ran. He saw the real Draco wave at him while leading a pack of Dantes to away from the giant's squid's reach.

Harry smiled and jumped onto his bike and soundlessly started down the sloping drive. He took off as soon as he was out of the wards. He waved goodbye to the castle, to Draco and Dante. Hermione and Ron and Neville, Ginny and Eva. He felt terrible but he knew it had to be done. As the day went on, he worried over his reasoning. Everything pointed to him as the monster, but why hadn't he attacked before? Why was it only now? Slowly his logic began to unwind and the reasons for the trip became less and less reasonable.

It was about him now, it probably always had been. He had covered up his own reasons with another, less selfish reason.

By the time he reached Surry it was dark and he had decided, he was not the monster from the chamber, but he was something close that would have to be discovered latter. Until then he would do all he could to save himself and the school. All the houses in the neighborhood were lit up with colorful strands of lights that glittered in the soft night. He rode in silence, his eyes hard as he prepared himself for what he had to do. He slowly started his decent circling as he slowly made his way into the dark of the forest. He set down and edged his way to Number 4.

The house was quiet, the happy lights that winked around the edge of the family's gutters gave off a false sense of cheerfulness that made the house look almost normal. The lights inside were on and the family was decorating for the holidays….or to put it more accurately, Petunia was decorating will the two whales in her life sat in front of the idiot box, trying to see which of them could space out more.

Harry snarled and left his bike well out of sight and stalked to the house. Stupid muggles and their stupid family. They just couldn't make room for one more in there hearts. Stupid of him to believe that they would. For five years he had naively hopped that they would, but it had been stupid and a waist of energy that could have been used to escape.

Now, he had to escape. It had taken too long. He had thought that leaving them would have given him freedom, but he was still under their influence. For twelve years he had let them dictate his life. This was about more then saving the school. He had to save himself.

He slunk to the window to get a good view of the Dursleys before concentrating. He hadn't apparated since he was nine. Draco had been chasing him and he had meant to jump behind a couple trash cans when he was suddenly on the roof of the cottage. After a great debate between Sirius and Regulus as to whether he flew or apparated, Harry had realized that they weren't angry, in fact they were thrilled.

After that he didn't need to run from then any more. He hadn't felt the same fear he had then until now, seeing them again after so long. And suddenly he was in front of his aunt with a coil of ropes. He gagged her and threw her on the couch in the sitting room before advancing on his uncle, still unaware thanks to his skill.

He had another coil before he could think for it. His wandless magic homed in on his fear, and his anger. He rapped them up bashing each one on the head before they could call out a curse.

When Vernon Dursley came to he realized that he couldn't his arms, or his legs for that matter. He could see the walls of his sitting room and the faces of his terrified wife and son beside him, both tied and gagged,

"Uncle, do you know what they say about a person's eyes?"

The shocked relative remained openly flabbergasted as his small nephew strolled into his parlor. He d put on muscle and gotten fatter with spoils that shouldn't have gone to him. He was dressed like the bum he was, jeans and a shirt, his hair blown around in an array of wild disorientation.

"The eyes are the window to the soul." Harry flashed a look at his aunt and dropped a first glamour. Bruises covered his body.

"In your wife's eyes, uncle, I see fear, jealousy, and a withered flower that feeds of the problems of others to make her life seem a bit better." A second glamour fell and his face became skin and riddled with scars. "But there is a flower."

Harry moved to his cousin who sat stalk still on the couch, frightened beyond measure as his long lost cousin strolled through his house, performing the dreaded 'm' word.

"In your son's eyes" Harry continued dropping yet another glamour so that his clothes faded away to the rages they had given him. "I see false machismo, fake manhood, I see lies and pain, and I see alcohol and drugs. I see a fat guy in a mask of a muscle man. I see a baby with a hand gun." He dropped another glamour and his hands twisted to odd angles as blood caked his neck and arms. He walked with a limp now. "But I see the mask."

"In your eyes," Harry paused leaning forward so he could capture his uncle's undivided attention. "In your low down filthy eyes I see nothing. Foggy blackness with no desirable depth and endless pits of despair that isn't really there." 'Freak' scrawled across his chest in white scared letters. "I see nothing uncle. No soul. No matter how ugly your family's souls are, they have them. But you" Harry leaned in closer still so that when the last glamour fell and the bloody eye socket replaced his magical . Harry leaned in close forcing his Uncle to stair into it deep cavern. "I see no soul."

He pushed up close to the man, wanting to lash out and just bite him but he held back, releasing a hiss instead.

"What do you see in my eyes uncle?"

The porky man tried to look away only to have his head yanked back with magic to be held before Harry's.

"What do you see uncle? Do you see pain? Blood? Do you see disfigurement?" Harry closed his hollow socket and turned his blazing green emerald.

"Now what do you see?! Do you see anger? Or is it shame? Do you see understanding? No? How about fear? You used to see that in two eyes. No? Maybe you see love, adoration? Hum? Yes that sound's right. You see care, compassion; you see kindness and undying gratitude don't you?"

His uncle nodded.

"You like this eyes right?"

His uncle nodded again.

"This is what you would like to see right? When you look into my eyes you like to see that small child you started to beat up so many years ago, right?" Again a quick nod.

"Well guess what?" Harry leaned in next to his uncle ear his whisper coming out in an angry rush of air. "You choose your eye. This one belongs to my family. That means all the soul I have for you is this empty, angry, distorted abyss you left me will."

Leaning in quickly Harry bit his uncle's ear off. Spitting the flesh out onto the floor Harry smiled cruelly. "Guess what uncle. I'm going to let you fight me." He untied the man with a flick of his wrist. His uncle stood up quickly, thinking that Harry was being cocky that he could actually win now that he was untied.

He advanced with Harry backing up in sudden reflex. His memory didn't give the rhino credit. The man was more terrifying then even his worst nightmares could recall. Suddenly they were in the kitchen and his uncles previously white face was now beet red. Some how he had gotten his hands on a glass bottle and was grinning triumphantly.

"Come now little Harry. You're such a big man when you have me tightly bound with your magic!" His uncle hissed. "Take me now you good for nothing slug."

Harry cracked his knuckles remembering himself with a single glance over the man's shoulder. There at the window was a blonde head. One he had expected to see long ago. Draco.

Harry reared up like a snake striking at his uncle just as the man plowed the bottle into his stomach. His breath caught and warm blood filled his shirt but the bottle barely made it past skin. Whipping of the shirt Harry found his body coating with the scales from his previous animagus tampering.

"Hit me again old man. You filthy muggle slob! Your son hit's better and he's a fat whale that's been taken from a dress and shoved into a smelting uniform!" He was ranting. It didn't matter. He was close now. He could feel himself lusting for their blood. He would change and it would all be over.

His uncle reach out, pulled the bottle from the scales and quickly reared back slashing at his arms and legs. He snagged the side of Harry's head making a thin line of blood trail down his cheek like a blood tear. It burned suddenly black, at the corner of Harry's bum eye. The magic was working. He was changing. But suddenly he veered off, his magics returning to an older, safer form. He was a lion. A lion with snake scales like some sort of armored lion.

Disappointment filled him, tarring at his insides. He let out a sad roar that shook the house. Barring his teeth at the man Harry swiped his face with a paw leaving a trail of long scars down his face. He bounded out of the house to Draco, weeping, the black tear stained under his eye stood out among the red. Blood tears.

Now he couldn't even keep his blood. Great. Just Great.

Draco buckled under his weight and the two sank to the ground in the middle of the dark lawn. Midnight came and went and they still lay there. Harry's back was alight with pain as if something more was trying to escape but other pain took importance over it. But there was Draco, breathing ice on his burns carefully holding him so that he was safe but not overwhelmed. Harry felt suddenly compelled to tell him things he had never told anyone else.

On instinct he did.

"Draco" He slowly collected himself. "Those books Sirius brought to me. The ones with random pictures in it?" Draco nodded remembering the odd collection. "When I lived with the Durselys, when ever I would find a picture on the ground, I put it in a scrapbook and write a paragraph, pretending the people in it were my friends and I didn't feel so alone." The pain eased away. It was such a lovely feeling that Harry shared another of his secrets.

"I make everyone believe that I like to be different, but really I just don't know how to fit in. I'm terrified of not existing." More of the overwhelming pain eased back.

Now the most painful of all.** "**Most people think I hate him most for hurting me. I don't. I hate him for making me think I deserved it." Suddenly he was free. Everything that had happened was in the past. He was free and the fight to get there was over. It was suddenly clear. His magic had always been linked to emotions, it would only make sense that his animagus forms were as well.

"Draco." He hugged the boy hard. "I'm free. I'm free. I'm so glade you came. I don't think i would have been able to do it without you. I didn't think...couldn't remember how awful he was. Thanks you." He panted, just happy to be holding him, listening to their hearts beat as one. It was magic beyond anything a wizard could teach him.

Draco smiled and hugged back, hard and lovingly a silent tear rolled down the side of his cheek. His Harry was back. This was they boy he was always supposed to be. He was his Harry again.

**AN:**

**Sorry it's been so long. I've finished school so I should have more time to write. I had major writer's block but I should be more regular no that I've over come that and cramming for finals. **

**All the Best**

**LastCornerStone **


	14. Chapter 14: A Break from it All

Family Types: Year 2

**Chapter 14: A Break from it All**

There aren't that many times when Harry could claim to be truly frightened. While at the Dursleys he could, but since his arrival in Sirius's arms, Harry had had little to fear. However, the minute Harry walked into his house with Draco cowering behind him; he knew that he had an emotional scar waiting for him.

Sirius's face was twisted into a look of pure anger. The reasons behind the anger were conflicting but didn't hinder the feeling with other emotions. Behind him sat Remus who was white as a sheet and barley seemed alive as he sat like stone, gripping the table top to keep him upright. Regulus was orbiting his wife who sat in a plush arm chair nervously feeding her child under a baby blanket.

Narcissa? Narcissa was cooking. Platter on platter built up outside the kitchen doors until there was a wall of dishes that would take them months to eat.

When the looked up, apparently simultaneously, their looks darkened and they seemed to converge on Harry all together. Sirius was at the forefront, his anger radiating off him like a plague. Narcissa had gone to comfort Bella who had burst out into tears. Remus didn't seem to be as angry as Sirius but he was still spooked, which had brought the wolf out, scaring Harry more then anything else. Already spooked by his uncles' rage, Harry instantly reacted.

His change was quick and easy. The normal pains that came from having too many animagus forms normally wore at his knees and hung heavy on top of his heart, throbbing in his chest. This time however, his change was simple and easy and ignoring his insane family even easier.

Standing three feet of the ground, marked with a fire red lightning bolt scar and a single green eye, the a lion cub took the place of the armored lion he had been at his uncle's house. The same blood tears that had flown then, stained the fur beside his eye now. He scrunched down to the floor, the picture of submission, his mind in a peaceful place he hadn't since he was five years old.

Time was unreal here. Here he was as free as he allowed himself to be and the world around him was fake. Here he could simply sit and watch events happen without being part of them. He was tired and hurt and the aching pain of repressed memories was heavy on his mind. His eye drifted close, steaming the blood tears.

For how long he was asleep Harry was unsure but when he awoke he was in his human form, wrapped in blankets and Draco's arms, both of them lying in his bed. The familiar drapes around the bed were pulled closed offering him some comfort. Still Harry felt blank inside, as though something momentous had been swept from his mind, leaving him emotionless and cold.

He was missing something. Something big had happened and he couldn't recall what it was. Slipping out from Draco's arms, Harry walked ghost-like from the room, making no sound. He slipped past the adults asleep in various positions on the couches and in the chairs around several cups of coffee. They had been up late talking, worrying, and Harry couldn't say why. The idea infuriated him. He wanted to cry, wash the invisible pain away but couldn't.

He made his way into the practice room and quickly dialed up the danger, snatching a board sword up. Unable to do anything else, Harry took his pain out violently, war cries coming out as screams of rage and pain that resonated back to him seemingly ten times worse. Why him? Why always him?

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

Sirius Black was dog tired. Pun intended. He had collapsed onto the sofa at three in the morning after consuming at least a pot and a half of coffee on his own. Remus had fallen next to him, both physically and emotionally drained. Harry's homecoming had been stressful and terrifying.

When Dante and Draco had come home without Harry, Remus had been the first one to freak. He had been reading all of Harry's letters home and had been noticing subtle changes in the boy which he reported to the rest of the family. When they forced out Harry's location from the two boys, the family had been torn over what to do. Regulus insisted it was good for him while Remus and Sirius had been preparing to rush after him.

All the while Draco and Dante had been fidgeting and second guessing their promises to Harry and in the chaos that ensued, Draco slipped out with Dante's help. His disappearance wasn't noted for some time and turned out to be the deciding factor in going to reclaim Harry. All the adults except Bella who had to stay with the newborn Arisa, planed to go pick up Harry only to have the boy show up with Draco at his side.

What happened next could only be described as hysteria with a magical spin. Everyone was talking, yelling, crying at once. No one knew what they were saying let alone what someone else was shouting. All through it no one made eye contact with Harry, and strangely the boy had said nothing. When Sirius had finished belting out his lament, he had noticed Harry changing from a boy to a small, scruffy lion cub, a single green eye leaking warm red tears that stained the area under his eye as red as the scar on his forehead.

He had stooped down shutting everyone else up with a wave of his hand. Harry's eyes dropped closed and he allowed his godfather to collect him in his arms, the cub's dead weight only just exceeding a hundred and fifty pounds. Sirius had looked the cub over and recognized it as the form Harry had taken several times when he had first come to Number 12. Draco had looked at them all with a disgusted look, snatched Harry from his arms and run off up the stairs with the cub.

All the adults had stayed up late into the night talk and debating what to do. Harry was changing. They couldn't deny it any more. The blood tears were proof. The course of action had gone undecided but all, including the tired Bella had agreed right off the bat that Harry had to be watched more closely there after. Remus had flooed Dumbledore and explained as well as he could what was happening and what was going to happen, warning the aged headmaster as best he could.

The drama of the one night along with the numerous sleepless nights bestowed upon them by Regulus and Bella's gift from above had left them all in a state of semi consciousness. Now, Sirius's coma was being interrupted by a herd of elephants with trashcan lids rampaging through a china shop lined with wailing babies.

Waking to find that the noises of his dream existed outside in the real world, Sirius hauled himself up as far as he could without waking Remus.

No one was thinking about moving let alone actually trying, with the exception of a strung out twelve year-old with a wide range of weapons and a class five temper to back them up. The danger room light was on and cries that seemed to belong to a phoenix morning a lover ripped through the steel doors and titanium reinforced walls.

"Sirius?" Remus sat up rubbing his eyes like a school boy. He looked out from half-mast lids, a dopy sort of dazed look that made Sirius place him back on the couch after getting up.

"Go back to sleep Rem. I got this."

Remus responded instantly adding his soft snores to Regulus's more resounding ones.

Smiling, Sirius looked back to the practice room, the smile slipping from his face as the cries grew louder. Approaching, snatching up a stray axe for defense, Sirius opened the door too see the room in chaos. Everywhere, debris from robots and smashed weapons littered the floor. Tattered cloth floated in the air as large black scorch marks on the walls danced in the swaying lights which hung, severed from all but one of their chains. Water dripped from exposed pipes into puddles of water, oil and blood, making the only sound in the room apart from the creaking of the chain.

In the midst of all the destruction sat Harry, his shirt hanging in shreds from his pale shoulders, blood and black feathers sticking to his body. He was on his knees, the handle of a broad sword clutched to his leg with white knuckles. His neck was extended and his head dropped back so that his face was turned up toward the swaying lights.

Now and then, as the light passed by, Sirius could see streaks of blood flowing down his face, his fake eye in his other hand. His lids were swollen and Sirius doubted very much that Harry could see at the moment. Closing the door quietly, Sirius sighed.

He had hopped this day would never had come but Harry looked so much like his father. Why should he have missed out on this particular gene?

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVVWVWVWVW

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Harry stood under the banner, still staring at it as he had been for the past ten minutes. It was three in the morning and Harry simply couldn't bring himself to sleep any more.

None of the adults had confronted him yesterday. They had slept till noon and after that it was like nothing had ever happened. Regulus had teased him, Bella had fawned over him and her daughter Arisa who was already sprouting black hair like her father's. Narcissa had been her usual cooking enthusiastic self. Remus and Sirius had been teachers, pushing the three boys to practice and inform them about their mischief at the school.

But the children weren't fooled. They knew that what Harry had done, what they had all done had transitioned them into a state they would never return from. The subtle hints came from the almost constant fire calls and owls they were trading with various members of the Hogwarts staff and the ridiculous amounts of alone time the adults were forcing on the three boys. Narcissa had even informed Draco that they would be going over the family lineage and discussing a few things over the break.

Harry had spent the last three days assuring everyone that things were fine, that nothing had changed but his trip to the Durseleys had done little to help him. He had recalled the lion form but now he was crying blood tears and sprouting black wings. He was so confused and irrational at times he was worried for his family and hurried himself into the Practice room where he dialed up the danger and fought out the confusion on his own.

However the trip seemed to have released something. The small voice in the back of his mind was gone. The dark patch was fading and the bits of his mind that had been lost to it had returned. The aching hunger that had clawed at his insides while at Hogwarts no longer plagued him.

Maybe it was simply returning to a place where he had always been safe, but everything that had seemed previously out of his control now seemed back in it. How long it was going to last he was unsure so he had decided to enjoy it for as long as he could.

Smiling to himself Harry finally looked away from the banner and back up the stairs. Hurrying up, his foot falls making less noise then leaves brushing the ground, Harry slipped into Sirius and Remus's room and with a fine art he had learned long ago, slipped himself between them without waking either.

He didn't wake up until nine, a rear treat he didn't know he was capable of.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

"HARRY!" Harry shot straight up in Sirius's arms as the cold sensation of icy water accompanies Evangeline's wail, effectively rousing him.

"Eva!" Bella scolded from outside the door.

"It's tradition! Last one up always gets watered."

"Still."

"Uncle Sirius said it was okay."

Harry glared up at his shielded Godfather, still as dry as his wit.

"Traitor."

"What?" Sirius asked. "I must have gotten water in my ear. I thought you just called me a traitor."

"Nope, your shield must have worked better then you thought because I did!" Harry challenged.

"Oh, you better run boy."

And with that the great race around Number 12 began. Harry was pulling into a fast lead when Narcissa dropped Draco in his path causing him to veer off into his Uncle Regulus. Regulus snatched him up tight and detained him for five crucial seconds let Sirius work his way out of changing baby Arisa which Harry had cleverly set him up for. Still Harry had enough time to escape to the living room where all his family, now chasing him with Sirius for sleeping in so late, were suddenly distracted by the shinny presents that waited for them under the tree magiced to have snow laden branches.

Harry, already aware of this fact thanks to his night time wanderings, hid himself behind the branches and when his family recovered from the blinding they had gotten from the presents, he launched branch after branch of wet snow at them. Having successfully bested his loved ones Harry dried himself off and sat before the gifts, proclaiming himself Santa.

Sirius instantly took the chance to charm him into character, giving him a red suit, white beard and an extra three hundred pounds.

"Ho ho" Harry pretended to laugh making the other cackle hysterically. Apparently they found the situation humorous. That is, they did until the adults found themselves as reindeer and his brothers found themselves as elves.

This was what they all needed. A break. Christmas break. Who cares about the dark creepy things crawling around under Hogwarts? He was home, and the newest addition to his family was adorable. Who carried if someone was petrifying students left and right? He had his 'brothers' one of which had received a rather personalized photo of him and a rather bushy know-it-all. Who carried if he was a raging ball of magical power that could kill everyone in a hundred mile radius if he ever lost control? They were safe and Draco was being his usual more then friendly self, letting Harry curl up into his side with his new books as Draco fawned over the pendent Harry had given him.

It was simple, a silver chain with a simple snakes head carved out of silver with two diamonds for eyes. Harry had made one for Dante too, though his was a wolf with topaz rather then demons, as well as a lion with emeralds for himself. Each had been equipped with a tracking and status charm so the location and stat of each member showed up in a book Harry had picked up from Flourish and Blots via owl order.

It could also be used to record conversations happening around the pendent but the adults, who had also received such gifts from Harry, didn't need to know that.

Who cared if Harry was in life threatening pearl? He always managed to get through it one was or another without being informed; besides they were on a break.


	15. Chapter 15: No Going Back

Chapter 15: No Going Back

Harry sat close to the fire warming the shinny scales that he had become accustomed over the winter holiday. He had gotten a series of lectures and loaded up with texts but had no idea what they all meant. His family had taken the passive aggressive rout to educating, reprimanding, and punishing him. Everyone always had something for him to do. He was the one to sit up at night with Arisa, rocking her to sleep and easing her cries with lullabies.

He didn't mind that part but when the little girl called him mama and Bella had chewed him out and hidden in her room with the infant, the adults had blamed him. He was doing all the house work, homework for the next three months of school and training three times as hard as he had as punishment for getting in trouble the year before.

He really didn't mind, it kept him working but no one was telling him why. Information, as random as it could get was thrown at him from every adult any time they found him. Dinner conversations were talking about vampires and dark angles, training was filled with tactics to avoid creatures called Pragnar. Even when he was in the bloody bathroom they were hammering on the door warning him about the dangers of Vestas.

Harry was suffering information over load so sever his photographic memory was going haywire. He often found himself sitting by the fire alone early in the morning. It was a comfortable place where he always felt comfortable and warm. He always woke up their feeling full and strong just enjoying the warmth.

He had been changing in and out of his many forms over the break, exercising each one as much as he could. He found that once he managed to combine the lion and snake forms, combining others came naturally: His phoenix and lion forms, the wolf and the snake, the snake and the phoenix, the phoenix and the wolf, whatever he could do.

Harry had stayed silent most of the break, preferring to lounge in silence against Draco or speaking only when spoken to but he didn't seem angry or depressed as he had at the school. As the return to school came closer and closer to date, Harry made sure to warm up to his family. He made sure to seek out Sirius and Remus, telling them stories of his childhood that he had told Draco, trying to show them he was growing up, ready to open up, hopping they would return the favor and start making since.

Bella eventually forgave Harry and he got acquainted with the newest addition to the family. Arisa was a beautiful carbon copy of her father but with bright brown eyes that belonged to her mother. She was alert at all times, always looking around, watching things happen with wide eyes.

She clung to Harry happily smiling and squealing with delight whenever he took her in his arms. She was a quick learner, though she disliked sleep. She knew how to get her way already and Harry, Dante and Draco realized their worst fears had come true. Arisa was a black haired brown eyed copy of Eva.

"I mean, one was enough. Now we have to watch out for the other? I'll bet she'll be casting curses with her first words." Draco muttered as he packed up his trunk, getting ready to leave.

Harry laughed beside him and tossed a pair of socks that were in his pile to Draco who exchanged them for a pair of jeans.

"I'm surprised Eva hasn't pitched a fit yet." Dante admitted. "She's used to being the center of attention and lately it's been Harry or Arisa."

Harry frowned over closing the lid of his trunk only to be pitched a shirt by the werewolf.

"Well it's not like I asked for it."

"We know Harry." Dante soothed. "But you still have been."

Harry sighed.

"Cheer up Harry." Draco smiled pitching a pair of socks at his head.

Harry growled and returned fire with a pair of Dante's jeans. The werewolf shouted "hey" then snatched up a pair of Harry's boxers and tore from the room, Draco and Harry hot on his heels. Dante succeeded on running Harry's green snitch boxers up to the roof and almost had them on the lightning rod when Harry talked him.

A full out war began between the three boys, staying on the roof, and ended in Draco and Dante playing a hands on game of keep away with Harry's boxers. Remus finally mounted the stairs to find Sirius and his brother making bets as the cheered on the boy's with Eve.

Ordering them back to their packing, Remus chuckled to himself and joined Narcissa in the kitchen.

"Everyone seems to be getting back to normal."

"Remus, stop pretending. You know as well as I that everything has changed."

Remus frowned at the lovely blonde.

"Don't give me that look Remus. You know thing will never be the same. Everyone's just betting around t he bush like the kid hasn't come into his inheritance five years too early."

Remus settled down at the island, looking across at Narcissa.

"What do you suggest?"

"You have to tell him. You have to tell him about his father, about his mother, about wands, about hybrids and his scar and everything."

"If we told him all that now he'd have information overload. He's on a destructive path as it is." Remus hissed.

"Draco's coming into his early too. Just like his father in so many ways. If you don't hurry they will be lead astray. I'm not your boy's parent, but I do get a say it what happens to my child. As soon as Draco picks a mate I will explain everything to him. I owe him that much."

"Harry hasn't picked a mate."

"He will soon. You need to catch him while he's impressionable. You need to monitor who he picks for his team."

"Narcissa for someone who has no experience in this field you sure have a lot of advice to give." Remus snapped. Regretting it instantly he apologized.

"I guess it's just a little close to touchy memories. James should be here, explaining this shit to his flesh and blood. I was just his Beta. I had a hard enough time explaining to Sirius. I have Dante to worry about."

"It's not fair Remus. We all know that. But what's come to pass has come to pass and we can't ignore it any longer." Narcissa reached out a hand a covered his clasped ones.

"You're right. I guess I was just hoping against hope. I just wanted Harry to have a normal life."

"With parents like his?" Narcissa scoffed.

Remus founded himself laughing against his will.

Suddenly the fire place burst into green light and Dumbledore's head appeared.

"We're ready for the boys." He smiled.

**AN: Wow, it's been a long time. I apologize but I've been super busy. I promise to be more regular. Thanks for sticking with me!**


	16. Chapter 16: Limbo

**Chapter 16: Limbo**

Harry stepped through the fireplace and in time to see everyone take a step back. At first he was willing to consider that it was because he had fallen out, as he always did with floo travel. But then he noticed that he wasn't on the floor, his arms and legs weren't aching and every person in that office would have offered him a hand to get up.

No, it was because they knew that they no longer knew him. That was fine. He didn't need them to understand him any more. He'd come to terms with that much. What he did need however, was to understand himself.

So rather then snapping at them all, as he would have liked to have done, Harry simply nodded and moved out of the way for his brothers to come through. Sirius had chained all their bikes up to his in the garage when he had learned not only of Harry's use of it to escape to his uncles, but also used it as punishment for their ride on top of the train, claiming he would have chained them up when they returned home for the summer anyway.

So now Harry stood awkwardly with his family, staring down the aged headmaster.

"Welcome back boys." Dumbeldore smiled. "The return feast will be beginning shortly. Until that time please rejoin your dorm mates and settle back into your common rooms."

As they turned to leave, Harry paused before he could even hear Dumbeldore's mouth open.

"Harry. Would you mind staying back a few minutes?"

Dante and Draco looked at Harry worriedly.

"Go ahead guys. Take Eva. I'll met you at the dorms."

Draco nodded and charmed his and Harry's trunk to float after him. Dante and Eva did the same to theirs before the three shot Dumbeldore meaningful glances and walked resolutely out of the man's office, as though they had decided to leave rather then having been dismissed.

"Harry, please sit."

"I prefer to stand sir. I'm afraid it's still rather awkward to sit."

"I see. You won't mind if I do? I am getting on in years."

"My opinion has no effect on your actions….sir." Harry stated rather bluntly, his eyes narrowing slightly, trying to pass on a silent message.

"Indeed not. Still it is polite."

"Indeed. If we might get to the point sir?"

"Of course, you are anxious to return to your friends."

Harry's eye's narrowed again, but remained unblinkingly focused on the headmaster.

"Harry, I know what's going on-"

"Well that makes one of us." Harry responded curtly but without a rude tone of voice. Like his body, his voice remained motionless, a monotone formation of words that seemed to have no meaning at all.

Dumbeldore seemed set back but quickly gathered himself.

"Yes, well that's why I was hopping to leave an open door to you my boy."

Harry flinched, moving for the first time since they began talking.

"I want to lend you a hand. If you ever have problems-"

"Professor!"

The door to the office flew open and Professor Sprout hurried in.

"Oh I do apologize. It's just the mandrakes sir."

"You seemed to have more then enough problems on your hands without mine, sir. Thanks but no thanks."

Without another word, Harry turned from the door and walked out, some how not looking like a delinquent but almost regal.

Walking through the halls, even the students noticed a change. Harry walked with confidence, but without purpose. He held himself up despite the eyes of lesser students that trailed up off the floor and to his face before snapping back down to the stone again. He wasn't afraid but he wasn't alive.

That's what Draco saw anyway. He had passed Harry's and his trunks of on Dante and Eva and told them to go on, wanting to wait for his shorter comrade. When Harry had left, he had passed right by Draco without a glance, obviously not all there. So Draco had followed, intending to catch up but in no hurry to do so.

Harry seemed lost in himself, something Draco couldn't blame him for. The boy had gone through an extreme change and didn't have anytime to come into himself before being forced back into a reality different from his own.

But then again, Harry had always been in a reality different from his own.

Draco shied away from the topic like it was diseased.

That was an unfortunate reality with brutal truths. Harry wasn't part of that world anymore, he'd removed himself over the break, but he didn't belong to Hogwarts either, or with Sirius or Remus. He just didn't belong. And he still existed, made a point of doing so.

Draco felt a rush of pride for the short raven haired fighter. And something else. But what it was, he was unsure.

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and Draco caught up to Harry who was standing dumbly outside.

"The password's Gillyweed." Draco offered helpfully.

"The aqualung of the magic world?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. Don't ask." Draco laughed. "I left Dante when I realized you didn't know. He and Eva are inside. I bet you a galleon Dante's snogging Hermione."

"You're on. I bet she's not even here." Harry smiled, a bit of color returning to his cheeks.

And it turned out Harry was right. Hermione hadn't returned but Neville, Ginny, and Ron were all conversing with Dante and Eva near the fireplace.

"What was that for?" Dante asked upon seeing the exchange of a galleon.

"Nothin' you need concern about." Draco grumbled.

Harry smiled and flipped the galleon in the air before Draco's face before snatching it again. Draco huffed then followed Harry up to the dorm.

"You alright Harry?" He asked against his better judgment.

"No." Harry answered honestly. "But I will be."

"You don't seem to believe that." Draco commented arranging his trunk pointlessly.

"Im not in my element." Harry smiled.

"Then where are you?"

"I don't know."

There was a pause in which both boys froze, glancing over each other. There was something more then silence keeping them still but some sort of tension, invisible and foreign to both.

"That's okay." Draco finally whispered.

"Really?" Harry asked. Draco stood up and moved closer, driven by the same unseen force.

"Yeah." He whispered.

Then nothing at all. Every sense went dead and they seemed to float in white noise.

"Harry?" Draco whispered. "What's going on?"

"I think we're in limbo."

"Oh."

**AN: So this is a bit of filler before we get back to the Chamber issue but it's necessary. Nice transition on a multitude of levels. Next chapter soon. **


	17. Chapter 17: Secrets and Lies

Chapter 17: Secrets and Lies

Classes began again on pins and needles. Teachers sprung a surprise on the students announcing testing would still take place and the student sprung surprises on each other, turning in friend and enemies to teachers, clamming they were the true heir of Slytherian, making up long winded and wild tales of seeing So-and-so sneaking out with Susie-Q, neither of whom would return until well in the morning.

More affairs were exposed in a week then most of the school could imagine possible. Teachers were so over run with detentions that they simply redirected all their students to Filtch who was quickly running out of detentions to hand out. Even he became frustrated.

No one called Harry out, though he passed through the halls of the school like a ghost these days, preferring the ache of sleep deprivation to the pain of his nightmares. He continually dreamt of disfigured beasts dripping acid from horrible faces. He had started hanging out with Hagrid more then ever before, trying to get names from the best sources their was, but even Hagrid had never heard of the foul beasts Harry described.

"I just don't get it." Draco groaned, walking back with Harry after another such unproductive meeting, both boys lacking several teeth thanks to Hagrids cooking.

"What's not to get? Harry's mind is just fantastical." Ron smiled trying to lighten the situation.

"If it was his imagination the creatures would change at least a little in every dream." Hermione argued, looking up at Dante who smiled down in approval.

"Well maybe you say them somewhere when you were little. A TV show or a book?" Draco suggested.

Harry gave him a look.

"Right. Sorry."

"GINNY! Ginny come out!"

The group turned back to look up ahead were Eva and Luna were standing outside an unused bathroom.

"Ginny it can't be all that bad." Luna whispered in her eerily melodic voice. "If you stay in their forever the Nememies will get you."

No one bothered to ask but the name struck a cord with Harry and a flurry of pictures rushed past his eyes. He clutched his head, tipping over into Draco who happily easily steadied him.

"Sorry." Harry whispered.

"GINNY!"

Harry shoved his little sister aside and kicked the door in, as if seriously afraid there would be Nememies lurking behind the door. He spotted Ginny standing under a rather pretty nerd ghost.

"Come on Ginny. The melodramatics have gone on lone enough." He held out a hand for her which she took, waving goodbye to the ghost.

"Look for the jerk Ginny." The ghost whispered dreamily. "Kick his ass and come and tell me all about it."

Harry looked at the ghost, unsure of whether he liked her or not. She smiled back and him then called "wait!"

Floating back over her toilet, Myrtle motioned for Harry to come back. He complied.

"This is Ginny's. She might want it back." Myrtle pointed down at a waterlogged leather bound diary. "Though I can't imagine her using it now. The ink must be running right out. Pitty. It is a gorgeous diary."

Harry picked it up by one of it's sopping edges only to find that not only was there no running ink, their were no words at all. Harry looked up at Myrtle who seemed to be treating the whole situation as some bad soap opera. Fitting since they were in a bathroom, but hardly useful to the already confused Harry.

Harry walked out to see the younger girls had gone, leaving a confused Ron, an annoyed Hermione, a sympathetic but defensive Dante and an uninterested Draco waiting for him. Harry messaged his temples when they all turned on him with "can you explain this" looks on their faces.

"Let's get back to the dorms." Harry started off, slipping the book into his bag without a word on the subject to the others. The book had burned his hand a bit, the leather heating up to dry away the water and scorch the palm of his hand. If living in the Black house had taught him anything it was that books without words were the most dangerous of all.

They hurried back to the dorms where Harry quickly scoped out the boys dorms and after shooing Dean and Shamus into the common room ushered Dante, Ron, Draco and Hermione up to the room. The diary in his bag was white hot in his hands so he dropped it quickly on the desk.

Ron gave him an odd look then smiled.

"Harry you're doing it wrong. Hot potato means passing it to the other person, not the furniture." He smiled proudly as the others stared at him in disbelief. "Hermione's been teaching me muggle games. Dad's thrilled."

Harry shook his head and turned back to the book.

"Draco feel that. Is it hot?"

Draco gingerly reached out a hand and prodded the book. He cringed but then looked surprised. He picked up the book easily and cocked an eyebrow at Harry.

Harry frowned. Taking the book he watched as the book literally flashed white hot light. The book sighed deeply, a mix of pain and delight. A longing filled Harry so suddenly he almost missed the feeling of disgust and notion of self preservation that told him to flee. Harry dropped the book instantly so it fell open to a seemingly blank page.

"Don't touch it Harry. It's obvious that something about you has set off something in the book." Dante warned.

"Listen to Dante," Hermione warned from the other side of the table. "A book without words is a sinister object on its own, but a book that only heats up to your touch."

"Wait we don't know that. We just no it has nothing against Draco. Maybe it's just designed to reject purebloods." Ron suggested.

All the heads in the room turned, surprised looks on each face.

"What? I can have a thought too you know." Ron grumbled.

"Hermione touch the book." Draco demanded.

"No!" Dante protested. "I'll do it, I'm as much a pure blood as she."

"But Dante, you're werewolf blood defeats the purpose, we're testing a pureblood theory. Hybrids excluded. Sorry but if you want you can touch it after her. Besides, you're crated with some pretty strong dark pure blood magic in your veins." Draco reasoned.

Harry watched, the diary rather then his friends. Something about it was familiar in a déjà vu sort of way. He wanted to touch it but the pulsating heat and his better judgment kept him from placing a finger closer to it then necessary.

"Look, stop fighting. I'll touch it." Hermione barked at last.

Dante looked chastised to which Ron only shrugged as if to say 'if you weren't expecting that you're dumber then me'. He'd turned into the real comic relief of the group and while all recognized it and appreciated it, some times he laid it on a bit thick. Still no one was willing to take his place so Ron remained Ron and everyone else bit their tongues.

Hermione's hand gently tapped the book without reaction, as did Dante's.

"So, Harry's got the magic touch that turns this book on." Ron commented. He reached out and confidently flipped the book over to look at the back.

"What's it say on the bottom there?" Harry asked.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle." Hermione read off. "He must have owned the book. It's inscribed. I cant imagin he wouldn't use it. Maybe it's invisible ink. Hold on." Diving into her bottomless bag Hermione rummaged for a good five minutes before reemerging with a giant eraser.

"It's brings invisible inks to our end of the color spectrum." She explained rubbing it on one of the pages. Still nothing happened. Hermione frowned stuffing the eraser back into her bag.

Between contemplating why Hermione would carry and eraser like that around with her and trying to edge his way closer without alerting Draco, Harry noted a faint ink stain in the margins of the book.

"Try writing in it and see what happens." Harry offered.

Dante snatched up a quill and sat down at the desk as everyone clambered around him.

'My name is Dante Lupin-Black.' He scribbled.

The letters stay there for a few seconds and Harry's hopes deflated, the ink began to soak into the pages as Hermione pointed out with an emphatic "LOOK!"

A few seconds after the words disappeared, a neater hand penned out 'Give me the hand that burns, I will speak only to him.' The ink rose to the page as if it were being soaked up out of the book itself rather then pen onto the page.

"It must mean you Harry." Draco whispered.

Harry frowned.

"Guys give me a minute with Draco yeah?" Harry asked.

The others looked worried but nodded and filled out of the room to eavesdrop outside the door.

"What are you doing Harry?"

Harry took a second to close his eyes and summon up the scales to cover his right hand. "I think it will lessen the burn a bit. Long enough for me to talk to Riddle."

"Talk to Riddle?"

"I think these are the memories of the diary owner Riddle. The date on the back of the journal would suggest he was alive during the last attacks. Maybe I can get him to tell me something."

Draco shrugged. "You know I wouldn't be able to stop you even if I wanted to try. Go for it."

Harry smiled softly, picked up the pen and pressed it to the page feeling heat roll up his arm between the cracks in his scales.

'My name is Harry Potter. Are you Tom Riddle?'

'Yes. Why does it tare me apart to talk to you Harry Potter? I am drawn and yet repealed from you.'

'I don't know. I feel the same. Listen, I need your help.'

'What can I do for you Harry?'

'Where you around for the first opening of the Chamber of Secrets?'

'Yes'

'Can you tell me what happened?'

'No'

Draco sighed in frustration.

'But I can show you. Brace yourself Harry Potter.'

Before Draco could protest Harry was being sucked into the book. Tumbling down into black and white pictures of what Harry could only assume were Tom's memories, Harry felt a warmth spreading through his body, heart and soul, that sickened him.

He saw a blur of images, a girl on a stretcher, Tom, Dumbeldore, the bleak walls of Hogwarts and Hagrid. He heard a slur of words, shouts and cries and pleas and all the while the burning grew, tugging at his heart till he was aching, panting, fighting to stay conscious, yellowish ooze dripping from between his scales.

Suddenly he saw Hagrid, a spider the size of Fang and Tom and understood just in time what Tom was showing him. Then he was hurtling back out of the book and into his chair which toppled backward as his friends hurried to help him up, knocking into one another in the process.

"It was Hagrid!" Harry gasped clutching his heart. "Tom blamed Hagrid for opening the Chamber of Secrets."


	18. Chapter 18: Love Pranks and Love Problem

**Chapter 18: Love Pranks and Love Problems**

Ron Dante and Hermione sat in silence in the now empty common room. The shock and disbelief was so strong it drove all other possible occupants of the room from even entertaining the idea of resting beside the fire or playing chess.

"He was expelled." Ron needlessly pointed out.

"He wasn't supposed to use magic." Hermione agreed.

"But they wouldn't keep him on the grounds if there was a chance of him releasing the monster or more like them." Date argued vehemently.

"Only Dumbledore insisted on keeping him." Hermione shot down Dante's idea without even changing her tone of voice.

"But he wouldn't have fought so hard if he didn't think Hagrid was innocent." Dante protested angrily.

"Or if he thought Hagrid deserved a second chance. No offense to Dumbledore but look at the company he keeps." Ron replied with a shudder, obviously referring to Snape.

"We don't even know this Riddle." Dante tried again almost desperately. "He sounds like a pompous snitch to me."

"Percy" Ron muttered under his breath relieving tension slightly.

"In all seriousness, the monster killed some one. Dante please, we all know you love Hagrid, we all do, but it's just possible-"

"No Hermione! It's not!" Dante heaved out of his chair heavily about to walk out when Draco walked in.

"How's Harry?" Dante wield around, concern overpowering his anger.

"He's out cold…well hot. I don't know what that book did to him but he's burning up. I'm treating it like a fever but if it doesn't get better we're going to have to take him to Madam Pomfery."

"I'll go take a look at him." Ron excused himself.

Draco nodded to him looking back to Dante who seemed to want to say something but the thought never passed his lips. Draco could see fangs peeking and realized it was close to his change time again, which explained his more hostile attitude.

"Why would the book want to talk to Harry?" Hermione asked, obviously oblivious to the tension between the two boys, wolf verses ice dragon, the fighting of auras that made the paintings retreat from their canvases.

"It's got to have something to do with that strange change Mum was talking about. I just wish Uncle Sirius and Remus and Reg would tell us what the hell was going on." Draco growled, naming all the male adults specifically to remind Dante where he sat on the food chain. Dante visibly relaxed.

"Didn't they want us to tell them if something happened?" Dante asked as means of apology.

"Let's figure out the book first. We don't want them to come in guns blazing for a simple prank." Draco replied, accepting the apology.

There was silence as all their faces fell and the tension disappeared leaving only tired teens. They shuffled around the common room until Hermione was bunched up in an arm chair, Draco and Dante were propped against the notice board and Ron returned having been able to do little for Harry that Draco hadn't done.

Draco and Dante were shuffling their feet and looking at anything but each other when they both spotted the calendar.

With twin horrified looks the two shouted "PRANK!!" then proceeded to run around the common room gathering supplies.

"We completely forgot!" Dante cried.

"We've still got time! Come on!" Draco cried leading the charge out of the Common Room.

The two friends, reunited by a common need for fun, ran off leaving Ron and Hermione with a very uneasy feeling in the pits of their stomachs which they could only settle by busying themselves tending to Harry.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVW

Harry woke up the next morning feeling tired and weak but most of all hungry. He staggered out of bed and to the bathroom where he showered propped against the wall and changed, emerging as Draco's head emerged from a mass of covers.

"Wha?"

"Breakfast." Harry grunted back.

"Oh."

Words were unnecessary at such and ungodly an hour as 7:30.

Draco emerged from the covers half dressed in his school uniform. Harry noted and was about to put forth the effort of commenting when his stomach growled and he lost interest.

Draco ran a hand through his disheveled locks serving only to add to their volume. Harry briefly noticed he looked handsome, leaned up against the wall his eyes heavy and his hair ruffled, hands covering his lower face as he stifled a yawn.

Then his stomach growled again and he couldn't be bothered.

Down stairs Dante was face down, out cold on the common room sofa. Harry kicked him half heartedly receiving a half hearted grunt to match.

"Breakfast."

Dante roused himself, also half dressed. None of the boys had on outer robes and the parts of the uniform they were wearing were in various states of disarray, like the boys themselves. As the boys trudged out they didn't realize a pack of girls from all houses were already poised to follow them and only hesitated in doing so to take in the charming side of their disheveled appearance.

Harry noticed them halfway to the Great Hall. He cast a look over his shoulder to see each girl had a brightly wrapped present in hand which his magical eye told him contained chocolate of various flavors and styles. Some were even laced with love potion.

But like everything else he had seen that morning, he gave it little thought focusing on his empty stomach and increasingly dry and irritating eye. He rubbed the magical eye feeling it stick.

"Guy's go ahead. I have to run back and ….clean up a bit." He tapped his eye and Draco nodded.

Using a series of short cuts Harry made it back to the dormitory in relatively short time. When he reached the portrait, Luna and Eva were waiting outside.

"Good morning Eva, Luna." He nodded to both. "Eva? What are you doing here?"

"Good morning Harry." Luna smiled, her radish earrings swaying.

"Ginny wanted to see one of her brothers." Eva answered holding her arms out for a hug for which Harry complied instantly.

"Why aren't you at breakfast? I figured your stomach would have you there already and judging by you appearance it almost did." Eva chuckled righting his collar.

"Hey. I'm clean. What more do you want?" Harry laughed. "I have to take car of a minor formality." He tapped his eye.

Just then Ginny appeared.

"Oh Harry!" Ginny exclaimed surprised. "I was looking for Ron but I guess he's already at breakfast. Not surprising. Should have known." She laughed nervously.

Harry took little notice of her odd behavior for once not because of his stomach but because of the hot flash that rippled through him.

"Well, to breakfast then?" Ginny asked already walking off.

Eva and Luna waved bye to Harry following her quick strides.

Harry shook off the sudden heat and climbed into the dorm room.

He'd walked right through the dorm to the bathroom and had removed his eye before he felt a different set of eyes on him. He spun around using a tooth brush as a weapon.

**You're getting sloppy Prodigy.**

Vexation sat on his bed licking one of his pars, with all the pristine dignity of a royal matriarch rather then a cat that measured a foot from head to toe.

**Vex?! Where have you been? We could have used your help the other night.**

**I've been with your family doing some work. I just got back and I think I have some answers for you.**

**Can we do this at breakfast? I'm already late.**

Vexation glared at him but his own stomach growled giving him away.

**Yes… well… **Vexation cleared his throat trying to retain his dignity. **Let's be on our way.**

Harry slipped on his eye patch covering it with his bangs and followed Vex out. It was odd being unable to pull up data but he knew the school almost inside out at this point so they still managed to get down to breakfast relatively fast.

But once they were in the hall, Harry felt sure he'd made a wrong turn somewhere.

The walls were covered in horribly pink flowers of various shades. Heart shapes confetti was falling from cotton candy colored clouds and other alliterations! The clouds drifted through a powder blue sky dropping their loads on the tables below which were absolutely dripping with lace. Worse still, fat little cupids with 5'oclock shadows flitted around strumming lyres and shooting little red heart tipped arrows at people that exploded into even more confetti upon impact.

Harry walked over to Ron and Draco who wore twin expressions of disgust and surprisingly hadn't touched a bit of their food. Hermione was switching between fits of giggles and concern for Dante who was sneezing his head off.

"God damn flowers." He cursed angrily into a napkin, nearly shredding it with his teeth.

"Why don't you just leave?" Harry asked sitting down and whipping confetti off his bacon.

"I tried to get him to." Hermione explained as Dante fell pray to another fit. "He said he had to wait for something."

Harry frowned. Looking for an answer he prodded his friends. Ron and Hermione were oblivious, Dante was too bothered by his over sensitive senses to think about anything else and Harry didn't even bother to tap on Draco's mental walls. The boy was more proficient then Snape in that area.

He turned his questions toward the odd décor instead.

"So what's with all this?"

"Valentines' Day mate." Ron piped up. "Didn't you notice the flock of girls aching to give you chocolates? What would you expect from Lockheart?"

"Oh." Harry nodded to the flock who giggled and gossiped themselves into submission. "I thought with the whole 'Heir of Slytherin' thing I'd be off the most wanted list."

"Nah. You just got more bad boy appeal." Draco laughed.

Great." Harry went back to filling his and Vexation's stomachs.

Suddenly Lockheart stood up.

"Attention! Attention all!"

Once the hub of dinning students died down Lockheart smiled and cried "Happy Valentine's Day! And may I thank the fourty-six people who have so far sent me cards! I have arranged a couple surprises for you today! You've already seen my card carrying cupids but what you didn't know was that they'd be circulating the school to deliver your chocolates and Valentine's Day cards!"

There was scattered applause from overzealous females and a few polite staff members.

"Yes! Yes!" Lockheart cried. "It's such a wonderful holiday why not get your other teachers in on the celebration? Ask Professor Snape how to brew a love potion."

Snape was seething, looking about ready to unleash his arsenal of dark magic upon the pompous fairy and use whatever was left over on the soul stupid enough to ask him how to brew a love potion.

Draco was laughing openly, his godfather's face combined with the fairy's speech being too much for his self control. Harry was politely chuckling behind his hand not for Lockheart's sake but his own. The possible benefits that would come if Snape realized Harry was laughing at him, even if it was in conjunction with Lockheart's flamboyancy, were so outweighed by the consequences it didn't seem worth even testing the waters.

Lockheart was about to open his mouth again when a cloud of white smoke covered the front doors which opened admitting six house elves carting millions of tiny brightly wrapped packages on a litter. The cupids lined up at the now stopped cart as the elves did the same. The leader, and elf named Twinkie with whom the boys were good friends, stepped forward.

Draco and Dante looked excited.

'A prank.' Harry thought. 'They pulled a prank without me.'

A twinge of hurt stabbed at hair and for the first time since Christmas Harry felt a shadow in the back of his mind, the voice whispered in his ear, nasty words he didn't want to hear.

"A gift to the students from Professor Lockheart." Twinkie announced as the cupids began handing out packages. Soon every student had a box on their plate. Lockheart, obviously oblivious, was quick to take the credit freely offered to him. But as we all know, nothing is free.

Once all the students ate their chocolate, as they were compelled to, there was quite, then a giant puff of pink smoke and students went flying. When the smoke cleared, students everywhere where chained together by magical versions of muggle handcuffs. All kinds of people were chained together. Girls and boys, boys and boys, girls and girls, house mates, opposing houses, any and every combination you could imagine.

Harry blinked stupidly as Vex yelled out fighting stances he should take from the inside of his pocket. Lifting a hand to his now throbbing head he found himself chained to Draco. Across the table, Dante was chained to Hermione, and Ginny had taken Ron's place now chained to Neville. Ron was across the room chained to Luna. The Whole hall was in shambles.

All the teachers descended on Lockheart in an instant Harry looked at the cuffs then at Draco who smiled cheekily. Harry returned to his bacon ignoring the blonde. Draco's smile fell.

The day continued in shambles. Schedules were destroyed and fights between less then enthusiastic couples disrupted what little order was left. Classes were spent trying to find a way to remove the cuffs. Potions and spells alike proved useless.

Harry remained childishly silent the whole day, choosing to contemplate Riddle rather then talk to Draco. He didn't understand what he was so angry with his friends but he also had no intention of changing his attitude.

In potions he felt Snape knocking on his mental door, concerned thoughts conveying his question. Harry looked at Draco who was sulking quietly in the seat beside him looking the picture of remorse. Harry felt a small twinge in his heart but a small voice in the back of his mind reminded him that the boy had abandoned him, gone off and pranked the school, pranked him no less.

**Prodigy! **

Harry snapped to reality were he felt Snape probing politely through his thoughts.

Harry collected a viscous nightmare he'd had and used it to force the man out. Snape seemed to apologize with his eyes but Harry looked away.

Quidditch practice was interesting. Most of the team had been chained together except for Wood who had been chained to the Slytherin keeper Alexandra Woods. As such, Wood blindfolded her and put a Bubble Head Charm on her to keep her from seeing or hearing anything before mounting her on the back of his broom.

With Katie and Angelina attached to the twins, the Quffal didn't get very far across the field and several people got pelted by Bludgers the twins couldn't fend off.

Harry was the only one enjoying their predicament. He dove and loop-de-looped, tossing and turning, diving dangerously close to the ground before pulling up and skimming the grass. When Wood called the practice after catching a nasty Bludger in the arm, preventing it from hitting Alexandra, and the team landed packing up the balls, Draco was a light shade of green. He'd never been so sick after flying in his life. Harry suddenly felt bad and managed a soft sorry before the anger returned.

They returned to the Common Room and found Hermione and Dante curled up on the couch by the fire fast asleep. Several girl/guy couples joined them, some from other houses like Ron and Luna who occupied an out of the way corner of the room. Harry just kept on walking, yanking Draco along behind him.

In the dorm Harry looked for Riddle's diary, wanting to ask him more questions. He began desperately tarring the room apart.

"What are you looking for?" Draco asked timidly.

"Riddle's diary." Harry answered, his anger forgotten.

"Harry I don't like what that diary does to you."

"Draco we have to get answers to our questions. Or at least I do."

"Why don't we talk to Hagrid?"

"Oh that's a great idea. A really cheerful chat that'll be." Harry growled.

"Harry please. This isn't you."

"How do you know? This could be the real me!" Harry spun around with a menacing flash of his single green eye. "You don't know all of me. I don't know all of me! I don't even know if I want a traitor like you knowing all of me."

"A traitor? A traitor?! I am mean things Harry James Potter but one thing I'm not is a traitor." Draco yanked back on the cuffs so Harry was forced to look at him.

"I've known you since we were children. We've shared a bed for Christ sake. There may be a side to you I don't know but I know you well enough to know how to care for you when you fall pray to that side. Last night? Who cared for you, cleaned you and comforted you? Me! When you're sick I'm there. When you're sad I'm there. I have never given you cause to call me a traitor." Draco yanked back on the cuffs so Harry was forced to look at him. "I am you're friend. You're best friend! If nothing more then that! But if you truly have the gal to call me a traitor, I don't know if I want to be any of that."

Harry suddenly felt drained, his magic depleted, his shields down, his magic gone. Then he felt tears come to his eye and for once he was not ashamed. He rushed Draco, tackling him in a hug, balling into his shirt crying "I'm sorry" for all it was worth. Draco just held him up refusing to hug back until Harry's sobs ran dry.

"You have to fight this Harry." Draco whispered. "This isn't who you are." He wrapped his arms around the boy lifting him off his knees. "Stop thinking you're so alone and misunderstood or you'll block everyone out and become lonely and misunderstood. You don't want that do you Harry?"

Harry shook his head no and rooted around in the candies a cupid had dropped on his bed.

**He's right Prodogy. This is an influence. One you'll be pinned against many timed before your task is done. **

Harry nodded, his head pounding, his eye tired, his emotions drained. He was shaking like a junkie, his stomach clenched and he suddenly felt unclean. He hurried to the bathroom feeling silver talons rip from his nail beds. Tarring of his shirt Harry raked the nails through his arm like it was butter.

Draco caught up to Harry to see him hunched down on the shower floor bleeding a sulfuric yellow oozy foam. Shocked he watched the ooze change to blood.

"Harry! Heal it! Heal it Harry before you bleed out!" Draco shouted.

**Prodigy! Listen to him! **Vex cried nipping the back of Harry's neck.

Harry was elsewhere, floating in white noise, watching his parents dance in a beautiful court yard.

'Go back Harry. You're still needed.' His mother ordered.

'We'll see you later son.' His father assured.

"Harry!"

'Go back Harry. He needs you.' Lily smiled pushing Harry away. Harry floated back into reality, the lingering vision of his father, giant black wings sprouting from his back and silver talons sprouting from his nails and his mother her hair composed of fire, all he had left to remember the encounter.

Ron was murmering some words over his arm stitching it back up.

Harry looked at him, then at Luna who was holding a wet bloody rag.

"You're not a Weasley unless you're good at healing magic mate." Ron smiled. "Feel better?"

Harry nodded.

"Good." Ron proceeded to sucker punch Harry in the jaw.

"Don't ever do that again or I'll kill you."

They all jumped on him in a careful group hug.


	19. Chapter 19: Too Close For Comfort

**Chapter 19: Too Close For Comfort **

When Harry woke up, every part of him ached and burned. Heavy pressure beat down on his limbs and his arm was throbbing so hard he could hear the sound of his blood rushing through the veins in his arm. As he took in his surroundings, Harry found he was at the bottom of a multi-person dog-pile. Currently, Ron was drooling onto his shoulder and Draco was snoring in his ear.

Memories of last night's events rushed to the front of his mind and Harry flushed a dark red of embracement and then went white as a sheet. He'd seen his parents and they'd cast him back like a fish that was too small to meet regulation. Then he remembered what he said to Draco. He looked at the blonde, sleeping peacefully if not quietly.

"Oh good. You're up."

Harry glances over to see Luna sitting in a chair unchained from Ron but still happily at his side holding his hand.

"You gave us quite a fright last night." She whispered whimsically. "Eva's going to kill you first chance she gets." Luna smiled and returned to reading the Quibbler upside down.

Harry groaned.

"Yeah. Why'd you do it?" Her coal blue eyes were the clearest they've ever been though they never actually fixed upon him. The swiveled back and forth as she presumably read the words on the page.

"Had to."

Luna looked over the magazine, her face blank but her eyes unmoving and unending when he was forced to catch their stare.

"I needed to get ride of something evil inside me."

"Why didn't you heal yourself?" Luna still held the magazine up turning the pages as if still reading it, but her eyes were focused on Harry.

Harry looked at his bandaged arm, the only part of him that wasn't being squished by the others that had piled on his bed.

"I guess I couldn't."

"Couldn't or wouldn't?"

Harry looked up angrily, jerking the people on top of him awake.

"Couldn't! I don't want to die! How could you suggest something like that? All the times I've fought for my life? You think I'd just kill myself?"

"That only serves to strengthen the possibility that you'd kill yourself." Luna whispered quietly. Her cool tone bit him.

"If I ever entertained that idea, I don't now!" Harry looked away ashamed and embraced.

Luna stood up.

"Then I guess I'm satisfied." Suddenly she smiled brightly, reversing the mood of the room. "Now lets go pick out your courses!" She snatched up Ron's hand and dragged him out down the stairs. Harry sat up straights in bed, confused and emotionally drained from the roller coaster Luna had just forced him on. His hands formed fists but his face was lax with a confused look.

"Come on Harry." Draco lifted Harry to his feet. "Let's get your muscles working again eh lazy bones?" He teased pulling out clothes for Harry and himself and although Harry couldn't see it, he knew Draco had his signature eyebrow cocked.

He allowed Draco to help him, Dante shooing Hermione out before easing Harry out of his pajamas together till he was clad only in green snitch covered boxers. They sat Harry in a shower where he began to work on lesser muscles while the other boys showered themselves before assisting Harry. It wasn't the first time they'd had to do this for someone in their family so the accepted awkwardness was skipped over easily.

They dried themselves off, leaving Harry to dry himself as best he could without magic before he cast a drying charm on himself. His magic fritzed and he burnt himself a bit causing him to yelp which in turn brought the other boys to his aid instantly only to see Harry hurriedly covering himself up.

They worked their way back to the dorms and dressed helping Harry where he required it. After all were dressed, the three made their way down stairs finding the stairwell gratefully empty. Joining the girls, they proceeded to leave the Common Room and ran into Harry's worst nightmare. Eva.

She was standing in her white shirt and blue tie and black skirt, shoeless as always, her eyes cold and angry. She took one look at Harry, assessing the damage then finding him acceptably alive and in no need of further worry, she turned on her heel in a flutter of angry fabric and presented him with a good view of her back. She was so mad at him, she wouldn't even fight him.

"Eva." Harry whispered after her, knowing it was useless but feeling he had to try.

"I'll explain to her." Luna promised leaving Ron's side to catch Eva up. "See you at lunch."

Draco put a hand on Harry's back, comfortingly and to help support him as his knees had begun to buckle. "She'll understand."

"Yeah." Harry muttered ashamedly.

After breakfast they picked out classes and attention was redirected toward Hermione who insisted on taking almost every class offered. Harry, Draco and Dante, all of whom had heard stories of the courses ended up taking Care of Magical Creatures and Divinations though Harry had toyed with and ended up adding Ancient Runes to his list after doing some research on the subject and finding himself inexplicably able to understand a few of the strange symbols.

No one noticed his injured arm, even though as the day progressed his magic continued to act up and as weeks passed and the weather grew warmer, he refused to shed his outer robes. Luckily the wound had healed almost entirely by the time the next Quidditch match rolled around. The match was to be between Gryffindor and Huffelpuff and Wood was going nuts. Practices consumed Harry's free time, keeping him and his friends from dwelling on resent events.

Eva was still angry with him but she could stand to be in Harry's presence again after several days of tiptoeing around him. In fact all of his friends seemed to exist around him like they were treading on eggshells so in retaliation Harry charmed them so they had no inner-monologue so whatever they thought they said out loud. And thus their relations returned to some semblance of normality.

The day of the Quidditch match, Dante was teasing Draco about his hair, using Harry's spell to his advantage and to Draco's humiliation. Draco had managed to maintain his manors and some form of dignity by thinking only of the coming Quidditch match until Dante took it a step too far even for the boy's standards.

"I'm surprised your animagus isn't a peacock!" Dante laughed.

"Aare you finished?"

"Ah, yes." Dante teased. "For now."

"Good. Then you can tell me just what you think and feel about Hermione Granger." Draco grinned evilly watching Dante's smirk slip off his face.

"I….I…..I THINK SHE'S CUTE AND I REALLY LIKE HER!"

One effect of the spell was if you fought off saying what you thought, you ended up shouting it for all to hear. Not that your secret couldn't be heard well enough by the subject of said secret if she was standing behind you as Hermione was behind Dante.

Dante turned around to see Hermione's shocked face before it turned and fled with the rest of her.

"Hermione!" Dante ran after her.

Draco, Harry, and Ron where frozen in place. Neville made himself know with a small laugh and a question:

"Did I miss something?"

No one responded, in fact no one moved until Neville shrank away.

"I didn't…she wasn't supposed to…That wasn't supposed to happen, I just wanted him to admit it, get back at him for his teasing."

"We know Draco." Ron assured.

"Dante knows too." Harry added. "In the long run it will be good for them." He picked up his broom. "Come on. We'll be late and there's nothing we can do."

Ron and Draco followed, picking up various cheering paraphernalia. As they were walking out of the dorm, Harry zoned out, preparing for the match.

_Thinks he can mock me. He deserves everything he gets._

Harry rolled his eyes.

_Cocky bastard. His situation isn't my problem._

"Draco calm down."

_It cant be that bad. He's got a young maiden to do his bidding and serve him._

"I am Harry."

_Stupid evil villains and their long and complex plots._

"Then who's ranting?"

_I'm just a simple servant. And what's with all that 'Kill! Must kill!' stuff? Really. It's not like anyone other then he can hear me. What's with all the theatrics? I bet if he had a body he'd wear a billowing cape._

Harry had stopped walking completely, just listening to the voice. The attitude was completely different. It was also fading away still muttering.

"Harry!!"

"Huh? What?!"

"What are you doing? The match is going to start any second." Ron cried.

"You're acting like a crazy person." Draco contributed. "Standing their all doe eyed like that someone would think you were petrified."

"MORE IMPORTANTLY THE MATCH IS STARTING!"

Ah Ron's inner-monologue. Harry had always wondered what went through his head. He was surprised the though wasn't food based.

"AND TO THINK I EVEN MISSED BREAKFAST FOR YOU!"

'As reliable as Old Faithful.' Harry thought smiling.

The three raced down to the pitch making it just in time for Harry to jump into the starting line up and catch a quick lecture from Wood for his tardiness.

Just as Madam Hooch was about to release the snitch, McGonagall snatched up the mike.

"This match had been canceled. All students are to report to their Common Rooms immediately and wait for their Heads of Houses."

Harry looked worriedly for Draco and Ron, hopping Dante and Hermione would be sandwiched between them, just as confused as the rest of the student population. Taking his broom Harry flew into the air, spotted Draco's blonde hair amidst a sea of red.

"Draco. Ron."

"Harry." Draco called. Harry could see he was with the other Weaslys and Luna and Eva.

"What's going on?"

"No idea. Come on." The two boys climbed onto the broom with Harry and they floated rather less then gracefully to the pitch below.

"Potter. Black. Weasly."

The three boys turned to see McGonagall running toward them as fast as she could in a dignified manor at her age.

"Wow. I really don't need that image in my head." Mortified Draco turned to Harry. "Please get this curse off me before I get a life time of detentions."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Harry had to laugh as he quickly removed the charm on his friends so any of the others thinking that as he was wouldn't embarrass themselves, too their obvious relief.

"Boys. Boys, you need to come with me." She breathed already bustling off. The three boys followed her back to the school all the while thanking Harry for his merciful removal of the curse.

"I have to warn you. This may come as a wee bit of a shock." They stopped in front of the Hospital Wing. "There was another attack, a double attack."

Harry felt his insides turn inside out and begin to eat themselves.

When McGonagall opened the door, Harry raced in front with the other two hot on his heels, the same horrible thoughts in their minds. He skidded to a hault at the end of Dante and Hermione's beds.

"We found them in the girls' bathroom." McGonagall whispered putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. No one said anything.

"I'll escort you back to Gryffindor Tower."

Harry, Draco, and Ron walked mindlessly back to the Tower after their Head of House and sat in a dark corner listening to her speech without taking in a word of it.

"Well fuck it cant be Harry Potter."

Harry looked up to see a random fifth year in the middle of the room.

"What?"

"Potter can't be the Heir of Slytherin. No matter what, he wouldn't take out Dante or Hermione let alone both of them."

"But Dante's a Fake. And Hermione's Muggle Born." Someone else pointed out.

"I don't believe it. He wouldn't take out one of them. Not even to save face."

"Do you all really think just because I'm a Parsaltongue that I'm the Heir of Slytherin?" Harry glared at them. No one dared answer.

"I may be a Parsaltongue but I've also grown up with a Fake as you call him, befriended both a Muggle Born and a wizard from a traitor family, not to mention a disowned pureblood. I am myself only a half blood and millions of other things not to mention eliminating the darkest wizard of this time. But one black mark on my life and all the good gets ignored."

"Harry we all know we were dumb." Fred jumped in.

"Yeah. We were just frightened." Lee Jordan piped up.

"It doesn't matter." Harry headed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. "It's time to talk to Hagrid." Harry announced to Ron and Draco, though Draco wasn't really paying attention to him.

"A Parsaltongue." He muttered. Harry looked at him, a little annoyed only to find he was talking to himself rather then anyone else. "I have a theory." Draco rushed off leaving Ron and Harry without a clue as to what he was up to.

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

**Prodigy.**

**Hum?**

**Be careful. Not everything is what it seems. You'll be able to see both sides but you might not understand it. Just don't act any different cause you see a new picture okay?**

**Has anyone ever told you you're more confusing then helpful when you talk like that? **

**Not in this century.**

**Well now you have. I almost prefer you insulting me. At least then I know what you're trying to get at.**

**Don't worry Prodigy. It's just a matter of time.**

**Humph.**

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

"Draco still isn't back." Ron reported when Harry returned with his father's cloak.

"We'll go without him." Harry decided throwing the over their heads. "We've put this off for far too long."


End file.
